Fresh Start new beginnings hosted their second afternoon tea last Friday at the Mercure Norwich hotel. With over one hundred attendees, they also welcomed the Lord mayor, Sheriff and her consorts along with Deputy Lieutenant Alexandra Bartram and Karen Vincent Chairman of Norfolk County Council. Fresh Start new beginnings provides therapeutic support for children and young people in Norfolk and Suffolk who have been victims of sexual abuse. As they continue to see demand for its services rise events like this become increasingly important to raise awareness. The afternoon featured presentations from speakers Chris Sargisson and Jeremy Indika, about their lived experiences of child sexual abuse. Their bravery in sharing their stories, gave people an insight into how the trauma has impacted them throughout their lives, particularly when no support is available to them. They gave a voice to the 16000 children in Norfolk alone, that have been victims of sexual abuse. Highlighting the important work Fresh Start new beginnings do, that every child who has been affected by child sexual abuse should be able to access the support they need to recover and rebuild their futures. Sandra Lucas – Corporate and event fundraiser says “We were so pleased with the positive feedback following the event. Many attendees commented that they had no idea about the prevalence of child sexual abuse. Since Friday we have been overwhelmed with the offers of support for the charity. We hope to continue to grow our service so that every child can access the support they want and need.” With thanks to Larking Gowen for sponsoring the event, to all those that attended and to our speakers.
