How long have you been an SWA Trustee?
Since March 2022,
What made you want to join the SWA board of trustees, your experience, motivation etc?
At the time the Board was looking for someone with an HR background and I am an employment law solicitor. I was approached to apply andwhen I started looking into the work of the organisation I quickly realised how important it was and that it was something I really wanted to support. The Chair explained how valuable myskills would be to support SWA’s work.
Why is the work that SWA does so important in sheffield, what makes you proud to be a trustee?
Violence against women and girls continues relentlessly in Sheffield as everywhere. It's vital that survivors have access to a safe space where they can start to put their lives back together. I feel incredibly proud to witness the tireless efforts SWA's staff make both to support women and their families, and also to engage with the wider landscape of funding and politics locally and nationally, to ensure their voices are heard when services are commissioned and changes to the law are being considered.
What are the challenges in being a trustee?
It's a big responsibility but as a Board we hold it collectively which is reassuring - there is so much to learn from the experience and approach of others. I was worried about whether I would have enough time to offer, however because there are several of us there is flexibility to do more when the rest of life allows!
The Government has pledged to halve VAWG, with the work you see that SWA does, how do you think we can contribute to that ambitious aim?
There are many ways in which SWA is already and will continue contributing to this. In addition to providing safe accommodation and support for survivors, we are an active member of Women’s Aid Federation, the national organisation which represents members, that is often sought out to comment on VAWG issues. SWA itself is a regular presence on regional media opportunities, and regularly hosts local MPs and other politicians (most recently the Attorney General). SWA cultivates good relationships with Sheffield City Council, South Yorkshire Police and other local organisations and services working to reduce VAWG. This focus on keeping VAWG high on the local and national agenda is possible because of the expertise and commitment of SWA's staff which is so impressive. We have an amazing group of survivors who have moved on from SWA's service but who are passionate campaigners for reducing VAWG and improving local and national services. SWA will continue to give them a platform so their incredibly moving and powerful voices of experience can be heard. Engaging with local businesses and individuals who so generously support us also means more local people are able to directly find out more about the harm survivors have experienced, the difficult journey they are on and why SWA is such a vital part of that.
Lastly, it is becoming ever more difficult for charities to recruit trustees – what would you say to someone who is thinking about being a trustee?
Just do it! Pick an organisation doing work you are interested in, and I can more or less guarantee that you will learn more than you could possibly imagine and get back at least as much and probably a lot more than you put in. It will likely also restore or increase your faith in human nature as the passion of people doing work that is really important rubs off on you.