What is your role with Solace?
My role with Solace has been evolving. I started as a temp in the pandemic in an administration role and when sending a donation out to a refuge, I recognised the address and when I matched it up to my own records I realised I had spent the first six months of my life in a Solace refuge as a child.
When the temporary role came to an end, I stayed with Solace as a volunteer on the advice line and I am also now an Ambassador. I currently work for the NHS but my ultimate goal is to go back to working for a similar charity.
What do you enjoy about your role?
On the advice line I love that can give lifeline to anyone that phones. I am giving someone the opportunity to uproot their life and make it easier for them. It can be very difficult to leave an abusive relationship especially when there are children involved and I am grateful to be a part of helping someone to leave an awful situation.
In my role as an ambassador, I love raising awareness of issues surrounding domestic abuse and having a voice to speak about them to hopefully help other women and girls.
Can you tell me about one of the most memorable days/experiences you have had?
I have a very methodical mind and use this when working on the helpline. Whenever I speak to a service user, I like to get to know the background of person and use this to try and help their recovery process. When someone phoned up who was a play writer, I suggested she could write everything down and document her recovery process. She found this really helped her and now wants to get it published. She called back to thank me and was so grateful for my help. That’s a real gift to be able to do this for someone.
Can you describe Solace in 3 words or phrases?
Fiercest girl gang in town
Informed
Strong
If you had one wish for women and girls for the next 50 years, what would you ask for?
All women and girls should have safer lives – it should be standard and not something we have to fight for.