By GB News (World News) | Created at 2026-10-04 09:20:58 | Updated at 2026-10-04 10:07:52
1 hour ago
A daughter of a domestic abuse victim has been hailed a 'force of nature' after smashing her charity fundraising target.
Ella Haynes, 26, has gone over her charity pledge by 119 per cent for Welsh Women’s Aid, an organisation, which supports domestic abuse victims across Wales.
She will be running the Cardiff half marathon later this morning to support those who may be going through a similar situation to her family’s.
The A&E nurse told GB News it would be a “hard day”, but she is “really excited to experience the atmosphere and meet the other women’s aid runners”.
Ella’s mother, Karen Haynes, 54, was subjected to an almost three-decade-long campaign of abuse from her ex-husband, Christopher Haynes, 59, before he was jailed in April for coercive and controlling behaviour.
In her victim impact statement, Ms Haynes said: "For 26 years nearly 10,000 days I lived in a state of terror."
Asked why it was important to give back to the charity, the family said it was a “reflection of the support and care that has been shown to us throughout this terrible chapter”.
They said: “It's just a reflection of the support and care that has been shown to us throughout this terrible chapter since the arrest.
“It started with Swansea Women's aid supporting us immediately after. We had a dedicated worker who guided us through the early days.
Ella Haynes after finishing a previous race
KAREN HAYNES
“Then followed the police and victim support who are still by our side.
“Along the way we've met so many people that know someone that has been affected by abuse. Friends and family were fantastic and we are enveloped by an amazing community.”
Despite Ella’s charitable work, her family were dealt a “devastating” blow after finding out their abuser would be freed prematurely under Labour’s early release scheme.
Around 700 prisoners, including domestic abusers and violent offenders, started to be released last week in an effort to ease overcrowding.
Karen suffered a 26-year-old campaign of domestic abuse at the hands of her ex-husband
KAREN HAYNES
Speaking to the People’s Channel earlier this week, Karen described finding out about her ex-husband’s early release as “utter horror”.
She recalled receiving the letter notifying her of his early release on a Saturday, saying: “The grief and years of trauma just came flooding out.
“I actually did not know what to do with the children at all.
“It was absolutely devastating.”
The pair separated in 2021, however what followed was years of police inquiries and court delays, meaning the family only secured a custodial sentence against their abuser in April this year.
Haynes received 24 months, reduced by 10 per cent for a guilty plea.
Expecting their abuser to be released in March next year, the family of three were looking forward to spending Christmas in peace.
However, due to Labour’s early release scheme, Haynes was eligible for freedom - having just served a third of his sentence.
He will be freed on November 16, but the family have been given no indication of the timing and will be informed after the fact.
With the news of his premature freeing, the family decided the safest option for them was to begin a new life on the other side of the world.
Karen described how the family has “to be free, properly safe”.
The special needs teacher said: “We need to live somewhere where we can create those fresh memories as a family that we have been so isolated from.
“There has to be that hope, otherwise, why do we continue living?
“There's nothing here for us and all we will ever do is try and escape those memories.”
Ella has raised over a thousand pounds ahead of the race today, where she will be joined by around 30,000 other runners.
She said: “It feels great to be able to give back to such an important cause. Domestic abuse makes you feel helpless so it’s good to do something constructive, it is my type of therapy.”
Karen described how she had an overwhelming sense of pride for her daughter ahead of the race.
Speaking to GB News, she said: “I'm immensely proud of Ella. She has had so many adversities in her life and in spite of it all she is determined to be successful and not a victim.
“She is a very talented and driven Trauma Nurse but still manages to find the time to train. I wish more than anything in this world that Ella had never had to be exposed to such horrific abuse.
“However, she is a force of nature with a warrior’s heart. She should be very proud of all of her achievements and contribution to society.”
The nurse will be running for other women who have been subject to domestic violence, which one in four women will experience at some point in their lifetimes.
Nearly 20 per cent of all recorded crimes in England and Wales are violence against women and girls, with one killed by a man every three days in the UK.
As she runs through the iconic landmarks of the Welsh capital, Ella’s boyfriend, her mother and Women’s Aid volunteers will be cheering her on, as well as the Cardiff masses.
The family’s plan for after the race is a relaxed celebration.
Ella will be “putting her feet up” while Karen makes the family “a well-deserved hot chocolate or a cheeky prosecco”.
