Linking business & community in Sandbach

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) In the July edition, I wrote about the role workplaces can play in helping someone recognise that what they are experiencing may be domestic abuse. But recognition is only the beginning. Because eventually, someone may tell you. They might tell a manager they trust. A colleague. Someone in HR. They may disclose everything, or almost nothing. They might simply say things are difficult at home, that they are fri

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) For many families, the summer holidays are something to look forward to. A break from the school run, more time together, days out, playdates, trips to the park, and the chance to make memories. But for adults and children living with domestic abuse, the summer holidays can feel very different. When schools close, some families lose much more than routine. School can be a place of safety, structure and support

By Middlewich Muay Thai When people think of Muay Thai, they often picture powerful kicks, lightning-fast punches and intense training sessions. While it’s certainly an incredible way to improve fitness and learn self-defence, there’s another side to the sport that’s changing lives – its positive impact on mental health. At Middlewich Muay Thai (MMT), members are discovering that stepping onto the mats is about far more than physical strength. Every session encourages focus,

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) and Founder of Domestic Abuse Experts In the last edition, I wrote about the way domestic abuse follows people into the workplace. Through phones. Through finances. Through childcare arrangements. Through exhaustion, fear, absence, performance, confidence and safety. But there is another reason workplaces matter. Sometimes, they are not only the place where the impact of domestic abuse becomes visible. They ar

By Oakena Reiki Therapy In today’s fast-paced world, many people are looking for natural ways to relax, reduce stress and restore a sense of balance. Reiki is a gentle, non-invasive complementary therapy that has grown in popularity as a way to support emotional and physical wellbeing. Originating in Japan in the early 20th century, Reiki is based on the idea that a universal life force energy flows through all living things. During a treatment, a practitioner places their ha

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) Most of us like to think of work as separate from home. A place where we arrive or log on, do our job, talk to colleagues, make decisions, solve problems and get through the day. But for someone experiencing domestic abuse, the separation between home and work doesn’t often exist. Domestic abuse follows people. It follows them through their phone, finances, childcare arrangements, confidence, sleep, and very o

By Katy O’Regan What started as a simple idea between two friends has grown into a vital support network for people in recovery and those seeking support across Crewe. Liz and her friend Sue run the Recovery Hub at St Andrew’s Church Hall on Bedford Street, offering a welcoming, judgement-free space for people who have problematic relationships with substances or addictive behaviours, as well as those already in recovery. The hub first began in 2020, but like many community p

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) There is a lot of noise right now about misogyny, the so-called ‘manosphere’, and what young people are consuming online. Talk to almost any teacher and they will tell you the same thing: something has shifted. You can feel it in the language young people use, in the way some boys talk about girls, and in the way girls talk about themselves. This is not abstract. It’s showing up in classrooms, corridors and re

By Kayleigh, Tribe Fitness There’s something about the phrase fitness retreat that can instantly put people on edge. For many women, it conjures up images of early starts, intense workouts and being surrounded by people who are already far fitter than they feel. It’s no surprise the first reaction is often: that’s not for me. But the reality, particularly with retreats like Tribe Fitness’s upcoming Ladies’ Retreat in the Algarve this September, is very different. And perhaps

By Saskia Lightburn-Ritchie, CEO of MyCWA (Cheshire Without Abuse) Arch Publications Charity Partner 2026 Domestic abuse rarely announces itself loudly. It is not always bruises, shouting, or police cars outside a house. More often, it is quiet. It hides in everyday life: at the school gates, in workplaces, in WhatsApp groups, behind perfectly normal conversations. Someone might stop coming out as often. They might seem anxious about replying to messages. They might apologise

By Saskia, MyCWA CEO Arch Publications Charity Partner 2026 “At my darkest times, I thought death would be better than this. When I walked into refuge, I felt like it was my light at the end of the tunnel.” Those are the words of a woman in Cheshire who came to MyCWA for help. They could just as easily have been mine. I fled to refuge as a young mum with my children and a carrier bag of nappies and baby clothes. I was in shock, exhausted to my bones, and terrified about what

By Everybody Health & Leisure Comedian and keen player Jason Manford, Andy Murray, David Beckham and just about every Real Housewife from Beverly Hills to New York have been swept up in padel fever. Now Holmes Chapel is joining that glossy, sporty club with brand new courts at Everybody Health and Leisure (Holmes Chapel Community Centre). I’ll admit it, despite my 48 years on this planet, I’d only really heard of padel in recent years. You may have just spluttered into your t