The Nelson Trust don’t leave their wounded women behind, if they did, I wouldn’t be here to tell you that today, in 2025, I am living my best life. They have supported me every step of the way; my support workers have been awesome, and their programmes are amazing.
Content warning: Abusive relationships, substance use, sex working, prison
It is with spirit, a heart of gratitude and love that I put pen to paper to tell my story and journey with The Nelson Trust Women’s Centre.
You may call me Lorraine and of course that is not my real name as I require privacy as my journey with the women’s centre is still not completed, albeit I have come a long way since.
I was first made aware of The Nelson Trust while I was in the police station. I was homeless at the time, and I was glad to have been finally arrested and in the cells.
I was hungry and scared: on drugs, drinking heavy, working the streets at night, and stealing by day. I had no stable accommodation and sofa surfing from one drug house to the next. I was vulnerable, scared, and lonely.
I trusted no one, and the very last people I was going to give my trust to was a bunch of women who said they could help me because they cared about me, and that they wanted to help me and support me, even love me, until I could love myself.
I didn’t believe them. Why would they want to help me? But The Nelson Trust has been working alongside me for many years now. It’s so hard to believe, it’s one of my longest, most stable relationships and I write this with a smile on my face.
Over the years, I fell in love with the wrong man that on the outside appeared and performed, even presented himself as the perfect gentleman, but behind closed doors not only did I suffer physical violence, but he also broke me down mentally. I absolutely believed his lies, that I was worthless and no good, unlovable – except by him.
It was at Eastwood Park Prison that I reached out for help. I was at the point where I wanted to die, rather than leave prison and go back to him. I’ll always remember what Tashy, The Nelson Trust Manager at Eastwood Park said: “We got you”.
I said, through tears, ‘I’m too broken for you to help me’, and she gave me the biggest and most heartfelt hug and said, “broken but not unrepairable”. Those words have always stuck with me, just as The Nelson Trust has.
I completed treatment at their residential rehabilitation centre and continued receiving support in the community. For a time, life was good. But I unfortunately relapsed.
The Nelson Trust don’t leave their wounded women behind, if they did, I wouldn’t be here to tell you that today, in 2025, I am living my best life. They have supported me every step of the way; my support workers have been awesome, and their programmes are amazing.
They support you wherever you are in life, in or out of a relationship – toxic or not. They have supported me with finding courses to further my education and to find suitable accommodation for my forever home.
I am finally out of that relationship and for the first time in years I am learning to love myself. Life tried to break me, and the man I loved tried to destroy me, but I have become a Christian and my God said that I am beautiful, a beautiful woman, I am strong, and my life matters.
Today I am able to look in the mirror and look forward to another day, come what may, because I’m supported. Life is life, but slowly and surely, I’m starting to close some doors that need to be closed, and what do you know – God opens others. No matter what, I can say today ‘Lorraine is living her best life, she isn’t in pain anymore’.
