Hairdressing staff and students at Wiltshire College Trowbridge are fundraising for victims of domestic violence over the Christmas period and into the new year.

The Helping Victims of Domestic Violence group was set up to help people who have been forced to escape emotional and physical abuse at home.

It is appealing for items to help those who have fled their homes with nothing, as well as Christmas shoeboxes for mums, dads and children from babies to secondary school age.

The hairdressing team at Wiltshire College has chosen Helping Victims of Domestic Violence as its beneficiary for the year and students and staff have made up 31 shoeboxes.

Course leader Clair Lewis, who has become a trustee of the group, said: “We spotted a post on Facebook about Helping Victims of Domestic Violence.

“It was a universal decision for us to make them our beneficiary for the year.

“Over the eight years I’ve been here, we’ve raised more than £5,000 for the likes of Dorothy House, Stepping Stones Nursery and Help for Heroes, and we’ve got plenty of ideas in mind to help this domestic violence support group over the next year.”

The fundraising effort started this month, with Level 2 hairdressing students bag-packing on Saturdays and Sundays throughout December at the B&M store in Trowbridge Retail Park. They have already raised £1,100 over two weekends.

A cake sale was also held at the Trowbridge campus on Wednesday with a raffle for a hair and beauty treatment and a two-course meal for two at the college’s White Horse Restaurant.

Ms Lewis added: “We’ll be raising funds to buy essentials for the families in the refuges and for when they are rehomed back in the community to help the transition go as smoothly as possible.”

Helping Victims of Domestic Violence has been donated a storage garage by Selwood Housing for six months and the group has shoebox drop-off points in most towns across Wiltshire.