Our story

Battle Scars was born from lived experience. In January 2016, one person’s search for help with self-harm grew into a small Facebook support group. The need was clear — and by April that year, we had formed the Battle Scars community group.
We’ve grown quickly ever since. We became a registered charity (CIO) in England and Wales on 6 February 2018, and registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator in April 2023.
From our base in Leeds, West Yorkshire, we run face-to-face services for our local community, virtual services across the UK, and host an active worldwide Facebook group.
The current Battle Scars logo with shorter interlinked arms of different colours and the words Battle Scars
Battle Scars logo 2018-now
Old Battle Scars logo with 4 long interlinked arms of different colours and the words Battle Scars
Battle Scars logo 2016-2018

Our team

Everyone in Battle Scars has personal experience of self-harm — either directly or through supporting a loved one. We work on a genuine peer support model, with everyone supporting everyone within the team.

Our board is made up of 4 trustees and we are currently recruiting.​
"I started coming to Battle Scars groups as a service user and then became a volunteer, a group facilitator and then a trustee. I'm grateful for the ongoing support and have really benefited from having a sense of purpose. I'd like to thank Battle Scars for everything it does and for helping me be the best version of myself"
Jean Birch
​Chair
Glenn Groves
Treasurer
Karen Johnson
​Secretary
Aisling O'Brien
​Trustee
Nick Pomeroy
​Trustee
Battle Scars Founder & CEO - Jenny Groves
I started self-harming as a teenager and spent 25 years unaware there were others who also self-harmed, thinking I was the only one. In 2016, after hiding my self-harm for 30 years and while searching for support for myself, I discovered a huge gap in services for people who self-harm which drove me to create Battle Scars. 
My career path has been varied (including guitar making) and I am also a practising shaman — all of which has shaped who I am today. As CEO, I lead Battle Scars, run services, deliver workshops, provide self-harm training to professionals, network, and act as the voice for our charity and for those who self-harm. I am now very open about my own self-harm and encourage our staff and volunteers to be the same so we can break down the stigma and build a community of acceptance. 
"It’s reassuring that staff actually know and care about what they do. That really makes all the difference"

Our partners

Building strong links and working in partnership is vital to us — whether with the NHS, Public Health, local councils, the third sector, the private sector, or our funders. As we expand beyond Leeds, these connections are becoming more challenging to maintain, but they are more important than ever.
Although we remain a small organisation, we are considered experts in our field. Our partnerships are built on honesty, openness, and transparency.
If you’d like to collaborate with us, get in touch or request an introductory session for your organisation. We also welcome opportunities to work with radio and TV producers, reporters, bloggers, and researchers.