DEVON Rape Crisis Service has been awarded a grant of £9,820 from the National Lottery's Awards for All programme.

The grant is for the organisation to develop its new training programme for volunteers, who support women who have experienced rape, childhood sexual abuse or any kind of sexual violence.

As a new organisation in 2011 with a short time to get the service up and running, volunteer training was commissioned to a similar service in Cornwall. But now Devon Rape Crisis is ready to develop its own training which will be more cost-effective and meet the exact needs of the service.

The grant will pay for the design, delivery and evaluation of an Open College Network accredited course starting in September.

Fee Scott, service manager, said: 'We are delighted with the success of our application, which means we can develop high quality training and offer a really professional service to women who have experienced the trauma of sexual violence.'

Devon Rape Crisis Helpline is on 01392 204174 and information about the service can be found at http://www.devonrapecrisis.org.uk">www.devonrapecrisis.org.uk