Voices of Hope Launches the Pearl Project 2024: Celebrating the Resilience of Survivors

Press Release                           Kingston upon Thames, 15 July 2024

Voices of Hope Launches the Pearl Project 2024: Celebrating the Resilience of Survivors

London, July 15th, 2024 — Voices of Hope, in collaboration with Robyn Harper Photography and the Royal Borough of Kingston Council, is proud to announce the launch of the Pearl Project 2024. This ground breaking initiative seeks to honour the resilience and triumphs of women who have survived gender-based abuse with powerful storytelling through creative writing, photography and short films.

The Pearl Project invites women from across SW London to share their stories of overcoming abuse, we collaborate with them to do this through creative writing, photography and short films. These stories will be showcased in a captivating photography exhibition and a heartfelt evening of performances and awards on November 16, 2024. Through the collaboration with the courageous women and their stories, this project aims to raise awareness, break the stigma surrounding abuse and inspire hope and change in the local community.

“We believe in the power of storytelling to heal and inspire,” said Sarah Clay, Project Director. “The Pearl Project is a celebration of strength, and we are honoured to provide a platform for these incredible women to share their journeys.”

This will be our 2^nd Pearl Project, having successfully launched our first in 2022. Working with the women every step of the way to make them feel safe, secure and in control, we witnessed the incredible transformation in the confidence of each of them as they told their stories! And for those who attended the sold-out awards event, they were all left feeling inspired and with admiration for the women.

For businesses who would like to support the event we are looking for sponsors for the awards evening and goodie bags for the very brave women. In return we will include their support across all our comms and that of our partners, LFB (London Fire Brigade) and SW Trains.

Tickets for the awards on the 16^th of November will be available for general release from October the 20^th 2024, follow this link for details Pearl Project » Voices of Hope (voh.org.uk)

Women interested in participating please email kwhub@voh.org.uk

Any businesses wanting to support the event please email neeraja.j@voh.org.uk

If you or anyone you know is experiencing abuse please contact Kingston One Stop Shop :: Services in Kingston :: Getting It On :: GIO                                                                          - END -

Event details:

• ● Date: November 16, 2024
• ● Time: 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM
• ● Location: 161A Clarence Street, Kingston, London, KT1 1QT.
• ● Admission: Free (Donations encouraged)

Interview opportunities: Please contact jacqui.gray@voh.org.uk to arrange an interview with the following:

• Participants: Survivors sharing their stories.
• Organizers: Representatives from Voices of Hope, Robyn Harper Photography, and the Royal Borough of Kingston.

About Voices of Hope:

A Kingston Upon Thames founded charity, dedicated to bringing hope to individuals and the wider community. We will always seek to build a sense of belonging by tackling isolation, whilst championing and empowering individuals to unlock their true potential.

We reach approximately 3075 people each week through our projects (Women’s Hub, Creative Arts & Food Projects) and have a significant local and national reach.

Voices of Hope began in 2019 as an unregistered charity with several community choirs reaching women who had been through abuse or facing long-term physical/menta health difficulties and older people in care homes.

By January 2020, we were running 11 choir projects and the newly started, Sisterhood Sanctuary (our wellbeing session for women). In January 2020, one week after submitting our application to become a registered CIO, we gained our charity registration.

We founded Kingston Women’s HUB in 2021; a partnership of organisations providing holistic support to enable women to thrive after experiencing domestic violence, the criminal justice system, abuse or multiple disadvantages. The partnership offers crisis support, peer mentoring, women’s community sessions, survivor forums and preventative work.

CONTACTS:

Voices of Hope:
Sarah Clay CEO sarah.clay@voh.org.uk

Jacqui Gray Event Manager jacqui.gray@voh.org.uk

Pearl Project » Voices of Hope (voh.org.uk)