Sadly after a year, we held our last London Community Foundation funded trauma recovery art workshop on the 30th April. It was a very sad and emotional afternoon for everyone who came along, and also for those who couldn’t make it this time.
However, despite the sadness, a couple of uplifting and positive things happened on Saturday. Firstly we were very fortunate to welcome a special guest, @maxlawson95 from the London Victims Commissioner Claire Waxman OBE’s office. Max came in both a personal and professional capacity enjoying the session and then afterwards spending hours with our clients listening to their challenges and experiences of the Criminal Justice System. Max has been and continues to be an invaluable resource to me, and the many victims I have signposted to him.
Secondly, I was unexpectedly presented with an award from The Crib Youth in Hackney for my work supporting families who have been affected by knife crime. I had to try hard not to cry as I was already feeling very emotional. I held it together as I accepted an award given to me by the young people who had put me forward for it. These young people and others like them who we support in schools and colleges know first-hand how challenging it is to work through trauma as a victim of knife crime. I was truly humbled by this gesture along with their request for me to deliver our workshop to them at the Crib.
After leaving the workshop I sat down and read the feedback from everyone that attended on Saturday and then looked through the previous months and I honestly felt helpless. Helpless because I felt like I had let everyone down by not being able to offer them access to a monthly art workshop. I have been trying unsuccessfully for 5 years to secure a venue of our own to support people who are asking for help and who are left behind in the Criminal Justice System.
I will continue to do all I can to help change the narrative about victims of crime. We are not just someone’s victims we are survivors who in the face of adversity push forward every day #traumarecovery #survivors #arttherapy
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