The event brought together people from all around the Trust in recognising individuals who have gone above and beyond in their roles to achieve positive outcomes for the adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs that the charity supports. Extra Mile Awards are presented to colleagues who embody the Trust’s values and who have demonstrated examples of excellent person‑centred support over the past year. For our 2025 event, over 150 individual nominations were submitted, highlighting just how keen colleagues, people receiving support and their families were to see the efforts of our support teams celebrated.

Alongside these accolades, the Long Service Awards honoured colleagues who have devoted significant years of their careers to supporting others, demonstrating exceptional commitment to providing excellent care and support.

Hilary Crowhurst, CEO of Milestones Trust, praised the winners and nominees for their dedication:

“Every year, I am amazed by the incredible stories of care and dedication demonstrated by Milestones Trust colleagues and volunteers that really do show our values in action. The Extra Mile and Long Service Awards remind us of the positive difference our colleagues make, not only to the people we support, but to their families and communities too. Having an opportunity to formally thank people and celebrate their efforts is the reason these awards have become so important to us.”

This year’s celebration was delivered in partnership with Neuven, the Event Partner and gold sponsor. Hannah Higginbotham, Milestones Trust’s Account Manager at Neuven and who attended the event – commended the dedication shown across the Trust:

“At Neuven we are honoured to be able to have been Event Partners for the Milestones Gala. It is a fantastic event every year, celebrating the incredible work that you do and it is an absolute joy that we are able to attend! We can’t wait for next year!”

 

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Huge congratulations to all nominees, winners and long‑service achievers – and a big thank you to the wider Milestones team for continuing to make a difference every day.

The evening was made possible through generous sponsorship from some of Milestones’ suppliers, including Event Partner Neuven, as well as Marr Procurement and Nourish.

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Extra Mile Awards

The Extra Mile Awards celebrate those who have made significant impacts within the Trust, ensuring the very best outcomes for the people we support. Nominations were open to anyone connected to the Trust, including staff members, volunteers, and family members and friends of those we support, with categories based around Milestones’ values. Finalists were selected by a panel that included individuals we support, and honoured at a gala dinner with both runners-up and winners receiving certificates and gift vouchers. The event provided a wonderful opportunity to hear inspiring stories of dedication and commitment, with one guest commenting: “It was a great event and it means a lot to have been nominated, let alone winning!”

 

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Long Service Awards

In addition to the Extra Mile Awards, the event also recognised individuals who have dedicated significant years of service to the people we support. Long Service Award recipients were presented with certificates of achievement and gift vouchers, celebrating their invaluable contributions and commitment to the Trust over the years.

Hilary Crowhurst, CEO at Milestones Trust said

“I’m always pleased to celebrate our Milestones Extra Mile and Long Service Awards, as it’s so lovely to be able to share stories celebrating those members of our team who make a profound difference in the lives of others every day. And it’s especially heartening to see just how many nominations we receive too – so many people across Milestones want to see the efforts of their colleagues recognised.”

The evening was made possible through generous sponsorship from some of Milestones’ suppliers, including event partner and gold sponsor Marr Procurement, silver sponsor Neuven, and bronze sponsors Guided Innovation and Howden.

Christoph Marr, Managing Director at Marr Procurement said:

“It was an absolute privilege to be the Headline Sponsor for the Milestones Extra Mile Awards night because I had the opportunity to meet so many of the Milestones team who had shown extraordinary commitment and dedication, over many years, to the brilliant Milestones organisation.”

For more information about Milestones Trust and the Extra Mile and Long Service Awards, please visit Celebrating our staff.

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To celebrate the work that they do, we asked two of our Trustees, Jan Lawry and Neil Baines-Thomas, to tell us more about what it’s like to be a trustee for Milestones Trust!

What does a trustee do?

Neil:

A trustee is a person, or several people, (known as the Board) who are ultimately responsible for making sure the charity is managed and run in accordance with its purpose.

We must make sure the charity is governed effectively, it has the necessary resources, and complies with all legal requirements.

Trustees don’t oversee the day to day running of the charity, that is the responsibility of the Executive team whom we work closely with.

How do people become a trustee?

Jan:

I think people believe that being a trustee requires special skills and qualifications – that’s simply not true!  All you need is the desire to genuinely make a contribution, and bring your own life experiences, skills and knowledge – they all help the organisation.  When I look at the trustees of Milestones Trust we come from a wide variety of backgrounds, from health and social care, through to legal and financial backgrounds – we all make a contribution, and we all help to shape the future of the organisation we love.

If you’re interested in being a trustee my advice is to make contact with organisations that you have a particular interest in, keep an eye on their websites to see if they’re recruiting trustees and, keep that LinkedIn profile and CV up to date.  I was approached out of the blue via LinkedIn and have never looked back!  It’s also a good idea to volunteer at organisations that are of interest, so you get to know them well and, of course, they get to know you.

What was your background before you became a trustee?

Jan:

My entire career has been spent in health and social care, working across the NHS, private practice, and hospice support.

I am also a Safeguarding Governor for a Gloucestershire school and earlier this month I was appointed as Chair of Age UK Gloucestershire.

Neil:

Before I became a trustee for Milestones, I dedicated some of my time as a volunteer management consultant for Cranfield Trust – an organisation which provides specialist expertise to small charities who ordinarily do not have the resources to pay for such experience, but still have many of the problems faced by larger charities.

Previously to that I have been involved in Scouting as well as fundraising for The Pahar Trust, which builds schools and health centres in remote areas in Nepal.  My son and I were lucky enough to visit a school in Nepal we had helped to fund the construction of in 2014!

How long have you been a trustee at Milestones Trust?

Neil:

I was appointed in September 2022 – two years ago. How time flies!

Jan:

I celebrated my first anniversary last month!  I don’t know where the time has gone – I’ve honestly loved every moment of it.

Why did you decide to become a trustee at Milestones Trust?

Jan:

Milestones Trust’s values really resonate with me. Starting with the individual, and not a label, building relationships, being courageous and creative. During the recruitment process, the more I learnt about Milestones, the more I wanted to be involved – the staff genuinely care for people, and those we support are happy and engaged.  I wanted to be part of that.  I also believed that I had the skills and experience to bring something ‘to the table’ and help shape a sustainable and relevant future for the organisation.

Neil:

Having spent my voluntary time in helping different causes (sometimes on a different continent!), I decided I wanted to make my position more formal but more importantly become involved in a charity which is close to home – Bristol.  I am a Bristolian, and aside from two years living in London, I have lived here my whole life and therefore am very attached to the city!

What’s the best thing about being a trustee?

Neil:

In summary it is about feeling that what you do does make a difference. It’s about always having in mind what Milestones sets out to achieve across the different service locations for the people we support.

If I can help in some way that will ultimately have a positive impact, then that for me is a tick in the box!

Jan:

Without a doubt, visiting our services and meeting our staff and those we support.  I try to visit two services per month, and I always leave the visits smiling and in awe of what our staff achieve.  I also feel that my skills and knowledge are really being used in a positive and constructive way – I actually feel that I’m being of use and that my input is valued.  Being a trustee at Milestones Trust is one of the best things I’ve done in my career.

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David Colla: a winning volunteer

David Colla won in the Volunteer category for his work at one of our Fishponds-based services. David has been volunteering with the Trust since 2014, as a buddy to Shaun, one of the people we support. David has taken him on trips to all sorts of places, including for drumming lessons, to Severn Valley Railway, Weston-super-Mare, Fleet Air Army Museum, the Underfall Yard, the theatre, and many more. After over a decade of work as a buddy, the Trust is thrilled to see David’s volunteering efforts recognised.

Algirdas Morkunas goes above and beyond

Algirdas Morkunas won the Frontline Ancillary Support Award. The award is given out for maintenance or domestic work, and Algirdas was recognised for going above and beyond to look after the grounds of the Trust’s Mayo House service in Yate. One of the people Algirdas supports said “Al is so kind and has a golden heart”. Algirdas treats the service as if it was his own home and the Trust is happy to see his efforts be rewarded.

Expressions and Greengates team are Runners-up

Louise Copping took one of the runners-up places in the Activities / Wellbeing Coordinator of the Year category for her work with the Expressions arts programme. Louise hosts weekly art workshops that explore all aspects of art, from large-scale paintings and sculptures to textiles, digital art and installation. Last year the Expressions programme held an exhibition titled Modern Myths. At Expressions, everyone is given the space to communicate and express their enjoyment of being part of the group, and the Trust is pleased to see this acknowledged.

Kathy Sterling and Simon Fagg were recognised as runners-up for the Rainbow Heart award. Kathy and Simon built a positive relationship with one of the people supported at our Greengates mental health service in South Gloucestershire, leading to a breakthrough in trust that meant the individual’s depot could be administered at the service rather than in hospital. The Trust is proud of Kathy and Simon’s work together to make this happen and set a real benchmark of what excellent care and support looks like.

Bringing people close

The recognition underscores Milestones Trust’s belief that what we do is impossible without building good relationships between people. Hilary Crowhurst, Milestones’ Chief Executive said: “It’s brilliant to see our amazing volunteers and staff be recognised for their efforts. The work they do every day with the people we support is phenomenal and it’s important to celebrate their dedication. This acknowledgment inspires us to continue to bring people close and build those relationships between the people we support, and our staff and volunteers”.

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Milestones Trust, which supports adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, recently held a celebratory gala dinner in recognition of those individuals at the Trust who have either gone above and beyond in their roles, or who have achieved long service with the charity.

The event, held at the Aztec Hotel and Spa on 2^nd February 2024 brought together staff, volunteers and guests in an evening of appreciation and gratitude as the charity showcased its commitment to recognising excellence within its team. Long Service Awards were presented to those members of the team who have devoted a significant amount of their lives to delivering excellent care, while Extra Mile Awards were given to individuals and teams who were nominated by colleagues for the real and positive difference they’ve made in the lives of the people we support.

Matthew Hall was one of those individuals nominated for an Extra Mile Award for his commitment to ensuring the best outcomes for people supported at Tramways, one of Milestones’ mental health services. A family member emailed to say that he was a great asset to both Tramways and the Trust, and that Milestones was lucky to have someone of such high calibre and commitment in the organisation. In their email they expressed their gratitude for the support Matthew had given their sister, which included a bespoke support plan that they credit with saving her eyesight, and a footcare treatment plan that made a huge difference to her mobility.

Hilary Crowhurst, Chief Executive at Milestones said:

“The Extra Mile and Long Service Awards is one of the highlights of my year. It really is inspirational. Life changing work, such as Matthew’s is happening across our Trust every day, and it’s important to me that we highlight and recognise this. It’s wonderful hearing just how far above and beyond so many of our staff and volunteers go in supporting our people and our charity.”

Matthew himself said:

“It was a really good evening. The Trust did a really nice job of showing staff that their efforts are appreciated and that people are valued.”

As well as certificates of appreciation, award recipients were also presented with coasters that were handmade at Expressions, Milestones’ art provision for people supported by the Trust, and gift vouchers.

The evening was made possible through generous sponsorship from some of Milestones’ suppliers, including event partner Dayforce, and Harvey, Neuven, Tower Fire, Guided Innovation, Auditel, Marr Procurement, Barclays, RWK Goodman, and Howden.

Rachel Moffat from Dayforce said:

“It was an fantastic to sponsor Milestones Trust and  attend the  Extra Mile and Long Service Awards.  It was such a great event and humbling to hear all the many stories about the award winners and how they have made such a difference to the lives of the people they support, also to witness and ‘feel’ how well Milestones Trust employees work so well in their teams and were delighted to celebrate their colleagues’ successes.”

Stephen Pownall from Neuven said:

“It was a pleasure to attend the awards evening as sponsor and guest. The winners have achieved some remarkable things for the people Milestones supports – The evening was incredible and very moving! Neuven are a proud partner of Milestones Trust and are thrilled to be a sponsor of the event.”

Christoph Marr from Marr Procurement said:

“Celebrations like the Milestones Extra Mile and Long Service Awards are so important in recognising true achievement, commitment, and dedication.  It was a privilege to sponsor such an important event.”

Rob Walton from RWK Goodman said:

“I was delighted to attend the Extra Mile and Long Service Awards on behalf of RWK Goodman. I was struck by the positive atmosphere and how everyone supported and celebrated each other’s achievements. I believe the awards really helped bring people together and I thought it was fantastic that the individuals and teams were recognised for all the hard work they put in. I look forward to the event next year!”

Charlotte Rawsthorne from Howdens said:

“Howden were delighted to support these awards, providing recognition to some worthy winners. As an employee-owned business, we recognise that it is often the people that make an organisation great. The support the Trust provides is invaluable, achieved only by the hard work of its staff. Well done all!”

Milestones extends its deepest gratitude to all of the sponsors, supporters, and attendees who made the gala dinner and staff award ceremony such a success. The Trust looks forward to building on this momentum, continuing its mission to support people to live their best lives and celebrating even more achievements next year!

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We offer our staff opportunities to gain Health and Social Care Diplomas, funded by Milestones, and support them to complete their studies alongside their job roles. We’re proud to offer this, and we all benefit massively from this investment in our staff – employees who have completed or are enrolled on the Level 3 Diploma believe the course is helping them improve their practice in their role, which means improved care for the people we support, while the Trust develops a highly skilled workforce and prepares staff for leadership roles.

Here are the stories of just a few of our apprentices…

Boluwaji started working as a Support Worker in 2021. He decided to complete a Level 3 Diploma because he wanted to gain a better understanding of his job role. He says:

“It was a good experience for me, and I learnt a lot. It’s given me the courage and the confidence to believe in what I’m doing.”

Boluwaji says he feels grateful for the investment Milestones has made in him. He says:

“I really appreciate everything. The Diploma isn’t free for the Trust, it costs money. It’s not everywhere that you can get that opportunity.”

Lorena joined the Trust as a Support Worker in 2014. She’s since taken advantage of the opportunities Milestones offers by completing a Level 3 Diploma and later a Level 5 Diploma, whilst also taking on more senior job roles, first as an Assistant Team Leader, then as a Team Leader.

Lorena says:

“I think it’s brilliant that Milestones gives you opportunities to learn and develop from the very start. Everyone who wants to develop their career has the chance to do that.”

She says that she really enjoyed the challenge of studying for her qualifications:

“In this kind of role, you learn so much every day without even realising that you’re doing it. Studying enabled me to reaffirm my knowledge and my skills.”

After completing her Level 5 Diploma, Lorena decided to take her career in a different direction, taking advantage of an opportunity to move internally within Milestones and become our new Resourcing Advisor.

Haydon joined Milestones as a Support Worker just a few years ago and has swiftly progressed his career. He’s now a Service Coordinator across two of our services.

Encouraged by his manager, he began studying for a Level 5 Diploma in autumn last year. He’s found it really useful to hear from other people studying on the course. He says:

“You attend group sessions where you hear about other people’s experiences. I’ve learnt things that I’ve then incorporated into my own work.”

Haydon also feels he’s benefitted from the support he receives within Milestones. He says:

“My line manager is really supportive because they’ve already done the course. In fact, lots of people at Milestones have done it. It’s been great to get tips from them and know that when I’m finding the course challenging, I can talk to other people who have been through the same thing.”

It’s not just care workers who benefit from our apprenticeships – we also offer them to our office staff. Dan is our Head of Workforce Services. He joined Milestones in 2018 after working in recruitment in the NHS, where he completed Level 3 and Level 5 Diplomas in Business Administration.

When Dan joined the Milestones team, we wanted to continue investing in his professional development and supported him to study for a Level 7 Senior People Professional Apprenticeship, which he’s just completed. Dan says:

“Milestones has been brilliant for me. They funded me to complete this qualification, which is the equivalent of a Masters, and you don’t get that in a lot of places.”

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Milestones Trust is proud to confirm that the team from its 2A Court Road service in Kingswood was awarded the Rainbow Heart Award for their work providing above-and-beyond care to an individual that had received a terminal diagnosis. The Rainbow Heart focuses on highlighting the very best examples of person-centred support so winning the award meant a lot to the team, particularly given the nature of their nomination.

Organised by Care & Support West and held at Ashton Gate stadium in Bristol, the Annual Care Awards recognise the very best examples of care and support from across the region. This year saw a record 200+ individuals and teams nominated for awards, with judges selecting just 27 winners.

Numerous individuals from Milestones Trust were shortlisted as finalists, with Adam Irvine competing for the Care Home Manager award, and Tracy Robbins for the Office Administration award. Both have made positive differences in the lives of the people we support, and in supporting colleagues, so all at Milestones were thrilled to see their nominations result in them being made finalists – a real endorsement of their dedication to the charity and its work.

In addition, Liz Gray was awarded Volunteer of the Year in recognition of her incredible efforts with ‘The Music Train’, one of Milestones’ community projects. Liz set up the Music Train in 2013 and has since held over 400 accessible music events for people who would otherwise find attending live music challenging. The award was well deserved, and a testament to Liz’s years of dedication to the initiative.

Hilary Crowhurst, Chief Executive Officer at Milestones said:

“I want to acknowledge all of our finalists and winners. It was lovely to see so many people celebrating such excellent examples of care and support on the night, and I was especially delighted to see individuals representing Milestones Trust taking to the stage to collect their awards alongside them. I’m incredibly proud of you all.”

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Milestones Trust, which supports adults with learning disabilities and mental health needs across Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset, has appointed William Oborne and Qamar Khan to its executive board.

William Oborne takes on responsibility for both the Business Development function at Milestones, and the Communications and Marketing team, bringing extensive experience from previous roles in the social care sector.  William has a deep understanding of business development within the social care sector. As a natural leader and innovator, William has a track record of designing and implementing new services and developing and leading successful teams.

William’s driving force is his compassion and love for the sector, and his commitment to delivering a sustainable model that can drive forward quality and excellence. William has worked with health and social care commissioners across the country to bring cutting edge new services to the market in line with local commissioner need.

Prior to joining Milestones, William was Community Engagement and Development Manager for Lifeways Group where he was responsible for leading the Business Development Team in the South East of England.  He has also worked at Precious Homes, an organisation that provides support and bespoke environments for people with learning disabilities, autism, and complex needs.

William said:

“I am absolutely delighted to join Milestones. I look forward to working with the team to increase the impact of the Trust and develop innovative new services that deliver excellent outcomes.”

Also joining is Qamar Khan who is taking on the position of Director of Estates, Facilities and IT.

For the last 23 years, Qamar has worked in social housing in a variety of different roles. For the past 12 years, Qamar has been leading on first Knightstone’s, and then LiveWest’s estate management programme, working to create safe and enjoyable environments for people living in more than 40,000 properties across the South West. Qamar has a wealth of knowledge of procurement, contract management, service development, and estate and fire safety compliance.

Outside of work, Qamar’s passion is cricket. Although Qamar retired from playing last year, he continues to be involved in his local club as a level 2 ECB qualified coach, though he also got into cycling during the Covid-19 pandemic and has since taken on a number of cycling challenges to raise money for charity.

Qamar said:

“I’m excited to be part of Milestones Trust and looking forward to working with all colleagues to deliver on our commitments to the people we support. I am also looking forward to bringing new ideas and plans to enhance the Trust’s ability to maintain its properties and facilities in order to provide a safe and well cared for environment for staff and people we support alike.”

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Abigail and Shelley represent our first cohort of trainee nursing associates, a paid role which combines work-based learning and academic study. For the past two years, they have worked closely with our nursing staff and frontline support teams, developing their clinical skills and gaining invaluable experience in care settings. Alongside this, they have completed a programme of study at the University of the West of England (UWE).

Now that they’ve passed their exams, Abigail and Shelley have registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Qualifying as registered nursing associates gives them the opportunity to work towards becoming registered nurses.

Abigail said:

“I feel excited to start my new career as a nursing associate, and I’m looking forward to using the skills I’ve learnt to help improve the lives of people we support.

It was nice to have Shelley, the other trainee nursing associate, training alongside me. She was a great support and we helped each other out. If anyone else is considering becoming a trainee nursing associate, I’d say go for it! I’m a practical learner so working throughout suited me and meant I could learn new skills on the job. It’s a great route to take to get into nursing.”

Shelley said:

“Working alongside the Trust’s nurses, particularly the nurses at 121 Watley’s End Road, was an interesting experience and enabled me to develop my skills. I am looking forward to my future career and developing my skills further. I was grateful to be able to complete the nursing associate apprenticeship alongside Abi – she was my rock throughout and helped to make it a positive experience.”

Our Clinical Nurse Advisor Beka Wilkins said:

“A massive congratulations to Abi and Shelley on this well-earned achievement. You’ve done it!

This is an exciting time for our new registered nursing associates. Abi and Shelley will now embark on the next stage of their nursing career with The Open University, working towards becoming registered learning disabilities nurses. Watching their progress this far has been a joy.

A second heartfelt thank you to the teams within the services who have supported Abi and Shelley through their two years of training. I know this support has been invaluable.”

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This International Women’s Day, we asked Milestones Trustee Shamraz Begum to share a little information about herself, including why she chose to become a trustee for our charity, what International Women’s Day means to her, and how she’s making a difference for diversity, inclusion and equity…

In a nutshell, please tell us about yourself, and what attracted you to taking on a role as a Trustee for Milestones

“I am a Leadership Coaching and Capability Partner at Natwest Group where I also Co-Lead the Racial Equality Taskforce. I am committed to driving an equal and fair society, challenging inequalities, learning through research and lived experiences to help dismantle the barriers faced by underrepresented and disadvantaged communities. We all have a collective responsibility to come together and help overcome the barriers to co-create effective solutions and enable everyone to thrive in a society where we all belong. Milestones Trust’s purpose and values sit at the core of what I believe and am passionate about doing.”

What does International Women’s Day mean to you?

“Everyone regardless of ability should be given equal opportunity to thrive and live their life to the fullest! That’s easy to say, right, but in reality, it doesn’t happen. Culturally as a Pakistani Muslim women, I face barriers every day; biased views, misogynistic attitudes, and far too often others project their stereotypical views on me, telling me how I should or shouldn’t be. It’s tough because you feel like you have to justify yourself and prove your ability constantly. It’s hard work helping others to unlearn the unconscious biases and stereotypes their brains have become accustomed to.

“IWD is a celebration of our uniqueness, a reminder of our strength, our compassion, resilience and determination, recognising the contributions women continue to make globally. Importantly, it’s a call to action to accelerate gender parity and the right to gender equality, driving change, and advocating every woman’s right to achieve their full potential.”

In your day job, you work for Natwest Group – could you tell us a little about the Racial Equality Taskforce and how you’re involved?

“The Taskforce was set up by Alison Rose to help understand the barriers faced by Black, Asian and ethnically diverse customers, colleagues and communities. Take a look at our recent progress report ‘Banking on Racial Equality – two years on‘.

“I am leading the Customer Commitments and have been working with Fair4All Finance on new research into how ethnicity influences access to financial products and services in the UK. The research aims to fill current gaps in understanding and explore practical short, medium and long-term solutions to current inequalities, such as:

• Fraud victims from minority ethnic groups are more than twice as likely not to get their money returned compared to White fraud victims.
• 60% of Asian and 63% of Black households have no savings, compared to 33% of White households.
• Black African, Black Caribbean and Bangladeshi groups are 4x, 3.5x and 2.5x more likely to be denied a loan respectively compared to White groups.

“The goal is to collaborate with other financial services providers and leading banks to explore how we can be more inclusive of people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds. Collectively we will use the insights to co-create the development of well-designed and effective solutions. Solutions that increase the financial inclusion of these communities.”

What makes you proud to be a woman working as a Trustee for the social care sector?

“Firstly being an ethnically diverse woman (already underrepresented in this sector at this level) will help others believe they can be aspire to achieve this. Secondly when an organisation is diverse from its top teams it tells you a lot about their passion and advocacy of diversity, inclusion and equity, and the value and richness derived from that diversity – I am proud to have the opportunity to advocate and be a role model to others.”

Have you faced any barriers in your life or career so far and, if so, how did you overcome them?

“I have fallen down so many times, at times pushed and at times made to kneel to give in to what others project that I should be because the fight just becomes so overbearing. Every time I have fallen I can tell you this… I have stood right back up feeling stronger every time. I have cried though and taken myself to dark places and lost the will to go on at times – it’s been a tough journey and it still is. My belief that I have a purpose to drive change and champion the potential of others continues to be my strength. I would not want younger girls and women to experience the failings of culture, society and others that I have had to endure. I was not going to become another stereotype and have been determined ever since to break down cultural norms.”

Tell us about a woman that particularly inspires you…

“My Mother – she is my absolute role model. Coming to the UK at 16, raising six beautifully powerful unique women in a challenging culture with limited access to support. We underestimate the challenges and barriers our mothers faced, and if we are finding it tough now can you imagine what it was like for them? Their resilience is why we are here and why I am talking from this platform today!”

What would you say to a young woman thinking about their career path?

“You can be anything and everything you want to be. Follow your dreams and ambitions and they will become reality. Believe in yourself, stand tall and you stride into every room like you own it. You are beautifully unique in every way – let that beauty shine through and never be afraid to be your authentic beautiful self. You are remarkable, now go and make it happen!”

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