EY Northern Ireland Announces Women’s Aid Federation NI as New Chosen Charity
EY Northern Ireland has announced Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland (WAFNI) as its chosen charity for the next two years.
The announcement coincides with EY’s “Giving Weeks” – a two-week period of fundraising and volunteering activity running from 28 September to 9 October.
As part of the launch of the relationship, EY Northern Ireland colleagues will take on a two-day 500-mile static cycle challenge, with every mile representing support for women and children affected by domestic abuse, as well as for the people who work every day to help them. Throughout the two-year relationship, the EY team will take part in a range of fundraising and volunteering activities, helping WAFNI continue its vital work in the region.
WAFNI is the leading voluntary organisation in Northern Ireland addressing domestic abuse. Working through a network of seven local Women’s Aid groups, it supports survivors to rebuild their lives, works to prevent abuse through education and advocacy. It also campaigns to challenge the attitudes, structures and systems that allow domestic abuse to continue, so that women, children and young people can live free from violence and abuse.
WAFNI’s own 2024/25 figures show 524 women and 364 children stayed in its refuges across Northern Ireland last year, a further 5,810 women were supported in the community, and referrals to its services reached 8,393, the highest level in the organisation’s history.
EY Northern Ireland staff selected WAFNI as their chosen charity following a strong desire to support efforts to end violence against women and girls. This commitment reflects a wider movement across EY, with several offices throughout the UK choosing domestic abuse and violence prevention charities as their own causes. EY Northern Ireland will also support the UN’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign this November, working alongside WAFNI to raise awareness and encourage meaningful action on this important issue.
Rob Heron, Managing Partner, EY Northern Ireland, said:
“We are proud to announce Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland as our chosen charity. This comes at a time when ending violence against women and girls is a major focus across Northern Ireland. Domestic abuse remains one of the most pressing challenges facing our society, with a devastating impact on individuals, families and communities.
We have huge respect for the work Women’s Aid does every day to support survivors and provide vital services to those affected.
Over the next two years, our teams will get fully behind this relationship through fundraising, volunteering, skills sharing and by raising awareness, while bringing together the collective strength of our people and networks to support Women’s Aid’s vital work. We look forward to seeing the impact we can make together.”
Sonya McMullan, Regional Services Manager of Women’s Aid Federation Northern Ireland, said:
“Women’s Aid is absolutely thrilled and excited to be entering into this two-year charity relationship with the amazing team at EY.
We are incredibly grateful to EY’s staff for choosing us as their charity partner and for their commitment to supporting our work. We look forward to working together over the next two years to raise awareness, strengthen support for those experiencing domestic abuse, and help create a safer society here in Northern Ireland where everyone can live free from domestic abuse.”