A BIRTHDAY breakfast was held today to mark the 30th anniversary of Women's Aid in Ipswich.Dignitaries across the town joined with the organisation's founders and supporters to celebrate three decades of supporting women in Ipswich and across East Anglia.

A BIRTHDAY breakfast was held today to mark the 30th anniversary of Women's Aid in Ipswich.

Dignitaries across the town joined with the organisation's founders and supporters to celebrate three decades of supporting women in Ipswich and across East Anglia.

Today marked the 30th anniversary of the opening of the first hostel in Ipswich.

The group has now two hostels in the town and a headquarters providing offices and a drop-in service.

Hilary Cadman, director of the organisation, said: “I feel it is so important that women are able to help other women out of what appears to be a situation that has no options.

“The nature of domestic violence is it isolates you from your friends and family and removes your ability to make decisions by continuous degradation and abuse to the point where you can't think for yourself, or believe in yourself and therefore can't make any choices.

“It is a complex problem and it (Women's Aid) is about giving women the helping hand to step out of that situation and to then support them in building their self-confidence.

Among those attending this morning's reception were Ipswich MP Chris Mole and the town's mayor Henry Davies.