S H I N E A LIGHT MORE STORIES OF A BETTER S U F F O L K CONTENTS Foreword Introduction Chapter 1 Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre Chapter 2 Ipswich Housing Action Group Chapter 3 Just42 Chapter 4 Porch Project Chapter 5 REACH Chapter 6 Rural Coffee Caravan Chapter 7 Signpost Gunton Chapter 8 Suffolk Artlink Chapter 9 Upbeat Chapter 10 Warden’s Charitable Trust Meet the Team With thanks to FOREWORD One of the joys we experience at the of relief and hope. It is a life Foundation is accompanying changing experience for them, but donors and fund holders on visits to also for all the people that make it organisations that they have happen. supported through their generosity. This book is our opportunity to Even though these organisations are Shine A Light on some of the often dealing with the most difficult magnificent organisations who are social issues, the experience is working in our communities and always positive. How can that be? improving the lives of our Universally, it is because our neighbours, friends and loved ones. charities and community groups These are their stories that will both attract extraordinary people who inspire and move you. This give of their time, knowledge, skills publication would not have been and compassion to improve the lives possible without the support of the of those less fortunate. It is a truly editor of the East Anglian Daily humbling experience. Talking with Times, Terry Hunt, the sponsorship the people receiving this treasured from CCLA and the compassion lifeline, whether it is to help them and commitment of our local cope with depression, escape from charity and voluntary sector. abuse or to relieve isolation, will inevitably carry a common message Thank you to you all. STEPHEN SINGLETON CEO, Suffolk Community Foundation INTRODUCTION change lives that they often did not A series of articles in the East have the time, skills or resources to Anglian Daily Times was produced, educate and seek support from a short films and opportunities wider group of new volunteers, created to showcase the work of donors and influencers. each charity at headline events across the year that would reach Domestic violence, troubled new people who have the capacity teenagers, the homeless, substance and/or influence to help. abuse, vulnerable older people, families in crisis, anti-social Perhaps best of all, often for only a behaviour, rural isolation – the couple of hours, ‘Shine a Light’ broadest cross section of charities partners had the opportunity to and community groups were learn from each other, share their approached and asked to get experiences and collaborate in involved. telling their stories. Suffolk Community Foundation has During the production of this first this year created an innovative new book, one of the things that became An initial programme of training This book summarises the journey pilot project, Shine A Light, immediately apparent was just was created including copywriting; so far. We hope you enjoy reading supported by the East Anglian Daily how many amazing untold stories photography; video; social media; it and will feel inspired to shine your Times and Ipswich Building Society. there were. marketing and communications for own light on making Suffolk a better press and digital platforms. place for all. It has been launched to showcase It was also clear that much more the valuable work of the voluntary attention needed to be given to sector in Suffolk and in particular to celebrate, support and ‘Shine A highlight the stories of a cross Light’ on the amazing work of the section of charities and community many groups and individuals who groups working to address some of dedicate their time to improving our county’s greatest challenges. the lives of those most in need in Suffolk. Shine A Light came about as a TERRY HUNT direct result of the success of Suffolk Sometimes the reason nobody Community Foundation’s tenth knew about these stories was that Editor, East Anglian Daily Times & Ipswich Star anniversary publication, ‘Stories of the charities themselves were Editor-in-Chief, Archant Suffolk a Better Suffolk’. working so hard to deliver and BURY ST EDMUNDS WOMEN’S AID CENTRE C H A P T E R BURY ST EDMUNDS 1 WOMEN’S A I D C E N T R E S H I N E A LIGHT LIVING ACCOMMODATION, COURSES AND COUNSELLING, TO SUPPORT WOMEN AND CHILDREN TO REBUILD THEIR LIVES AFTER THE TRAUMATIC EFFECTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BURY ST EDMUNDS WOMEN’S A I D C E N T R E “I laid there helpless, not able to Describing the experience this breathe or move, with 13 stone of woman said, “Dani came to a weight crushing me to the floor…I coffee morning at the refuge and Writing has long been used as a but as it was performed live on felt sick as he breathed heavily into looked at me and asked me if I’d way of expressing difficult unsaid stage it made a “real connection” my ear, pinning my arms down like to do the writing workshop. I secret thoughts and finding solace with the audience. beside me.” had no confidence at all, but I went from overwhelming feelings. along just the same.” The play, which was part funded by Then there’s Josie, whose But the Women’s Refuge in Bury Suffolk Community Foundation’s life becomes a nightmare, being St. Edmunds, working with a Hodge and Shallow Fund, tells four routinely sexually abused by her “I loved it from the playwright from the Theatre Royal, real life stories - although the father and his friends. has taken this form of expression identities of those involved were first session and for one stage further. changed to protect the individuals. There’s the experience of a teenage me the whole project girl who had to flee her family has felt better than A unique outreach project with There’s Charlotte, a young mother home because the beatings women who fled domestic abuse in whose husband gradually erodes from her mother became too much counselling or various forms, has not only helped her confidence and ends up lifting to bear. therapy.” them pen their experiences but has her off the sofa by her head - just culminated in a unique play, for eating a biscuit. “She beats my face until my jaw Refuge, staged with professional aches. That day she hit me so “Going to see the play was scary - actors before an invited audience. Mandy describes being raped by hard my earring went straight seeing what my story would be like her husband, simply because she’s through my ear and came out the on stage but the actors really The end result was, says one of the made a phone call to a friend. other side.” brought it to life.” writers, “Better than therapy.’’ The actors brought everything to life and helped me deal with what had happened to me and really process what happened.” Another simply said, “It saved my life.” According to project leader and award-winning playwright Danusia Iwaszko, it was “extraordinary” not only helping the women involved “Afterwards though I felt a huge “I have done this work for many “The effect of this play was Karen Simpson, the Director of The weight had been lifted from me like years and have seen many women extraordinary. On the night, one of Theatre Royal said, “This was just a a release and I also like that it raised with many stories but when I saw the participants described it as four week course and at the start awareness in the audience too.” this performance on stage, it is one being ‘better than therapy’, and we had no idea of the impact it of the most powerful things I have that’s exactly what the arts can do. was going to have on those who Helping the women from the seen in my time at the refuge.” took part.” Refuge, says Danusia, has been an “extraordinary” project to have Suffolk Community Foundation “Friends of the women involved been involved with. fund holder, Judith Shallow who who came along to the play said was last year’s High Sheriff and “There were many they had seen them change, their “It’s beyond therapeutic. Within the whose family fund, The Hodge and confidence had grown and they group there was a freedom for Shallow Fund - supported this people in the audience were beginning to talk more. those involved to tell their stories project, described the outcome who were greatly and their confidence grew in the as “Profound, astounding, soul moved - it was a “This shows that the arts can be a workshops. wrenching and extraordinary.” really powerful factor for change ground-breaking and this is a hugely important part “Their stories were so painful but by She believes that the arts in piece of work.” of our outreach work here at The talking about them over and over all forms - theatre, dance, music, Theatre Royal.’’ the more they were able to get writing, painting etc - has a power some distance. to effect positive change where many other things can’t. “The other side effect was when they saw people crying and there was a “That’s why last year I helped lot of tears in the theatre they Suffolk Community Foundation realised their pain was big.” launch their Arts and Culture Fund with a gala at The Theatre Royal.” According to Annie Munson, Chief Executive of Bury St Edmunds Women’s Aid Centre, “The women involved were initially wary about what they had to give to the project “Refuge is a perfect and how much they might be exposed.” project to illustrate just how powerful But, she said it has been such a creative work success that the team at Theatre Royal have further projects now can be.” underway.