More lovely feedback from the ball……
28 October 2024
"We had excellent food and company and a chance to learn of the The Magdalene Group's work, topped off by dancing: it was all just so very special. Put us on the invitation list for the 40th!!"
Thank you so much for your support
23 October 2024
"Wonderful evening last night celebrating 30 years of The Magdalene Group charity doing incredible work in our region rebuilding the lives of women and girls who have suffered abuse" & "What a brilliant evening raising money and celebrating 30 years of a very worthy charity - The Magdalene Group" - just a couple of lovely comments on social media following the Pearly Ball at the weekend.
Welcome to the Pearly Ball
22 October 2024
"Thank you all for being here tonight to celebrate a truly remarkable milestone - the 30th anniversary of The Magdalene Group. Founded by the two magistrates affectionately known as the two Doreens in 1994, this evening is not just a celebration of our past, but a testament to their vision and our unwavering dedication to supporting the victims of violence against women and girls........To have all of you here tonight, sharing in this moment, is incredibly heartening. Whether you've been with us from the very beginning or have recently joined our cause, your presence tonight is a reminder of how far we've come - and yet, sadly, how much more there is still to do!" Suzi Heybourne, CEO
Pearly Ball
22 October 2024
"We started talking about the possibility of holding a ball to celebrate 30 years of The Magdalene Group over a year ago. On Friday 18th October, all the hard work that had gone on with the organising of this event paid off and 141 people had a wonderful evening in The Assembly House, eating, drinking and dancing the night away, and at the same time they learnt about the very important work of our charity." Caroline Elliott, Trustee
Sessions for professionals
22 October 2024
Our popular occasional sessions for professionals continue online for the moment; hosted by members of our Rose & Doorway teams, they provide not only an opportunity for us to share the work of The Magdalene Group, but also for professionals from other agencies to talk about their roles and experiences, & between us we can share best practice. Autumn sessions will take place from 10 - 11 a.m. on Wednesday 20th November and Tuesday 17th December. If you would like to attend, please e-mail support@magdalenegroup.org or contact the office on 01603 610256 to book a place, as numbers are limited.
Pearly Ball
21 October 2024
Much more to come in the days to follow, but, for now, huge thanks to Chadwicks for sponsoring this event.
Conference : Opening Address
21 October 2024
"Good morning everyone. My name is Georgina Holloway and I am delighted to welcome you to Leeway and The Magdalene Group's domestic abuse and violence against women and girls conference. I first came across both these organisations about 13 years ago when I knew nothing about either subject and domestic abuse was definitely not talked about, certainly not in professional circles, but now awareness of violence against women and girls is ever-increasing and what was once a taboo subject is now something we are prepared to talk about with greater openness."
More on the conference……
17 October 2024
"The conference was quite rightly a celebration of all The Magdalene Group and Leeway have achieved over the past thirty and fifty years respectively. It was informative, at times moving and inspirational. My takeaway though was that although so much has been achieved there remains so much more to do if we are going to end the cycles of abuse and exploitation that so many women and young people suffer. Sara Plastow’s presentation captured this beautifully. As a collective working for the good of the wider society we need to continue the ongoing work but also think about how we can do things differently to prevent the abuse and exploitation continuing into the future. " Yvonne Ross, Trustee
More feedback from the conference……
17 October 2024
"Thanks to all the inspiring speakers at the conference last week. We heard from Rachel Millar (Domestic Abuse Commissioners Office), Zina and Teigan Wilkinson (Survivors), Nick Gazzard (Hollie Gazzard Trust), Janey Starling (Level Up), Jonna Barry, Dr Olumide Adisa (University of Suffolk) and our very own Sara Plastow. We showcased our new film celebrating 30 years of the Magdalene group." Caroline Hill, Service Co-ordinator
Violence against Women & Girls Conference
15 October 2024
"The conference celebrated the range of important work that has been done over the decades to tackle domestic abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG.) Speakers provided an insight on research, which sparked so much hope for a future without gendered violence. Some bravely spoke about their personal experiences of surviving domestic violence and their journey to healing, which was so inspirational! The topics and information created a full circle as they addressed every aspect of domestic abuse and violence against women and girls. It truly was a proud moment for everyone involved." Sylvie Bonevova, Women's Specialist Practitioner