New beginnings Peer Support’s own Beginning

Originally piloted under Harrogate Borough Council in February 2019, New Beginnings Peer Support was established by Lindsay Oliver, a survivor of multiple domestic abuse perpetrators and Mel Milner a former Housing Support Officer who both saw both the need and opportunity for a domestic abuse peer support service provision. Then, a weekly support group for women and their children, in Harrogate, that has now grown and developed, in alignment with the increased need over the pandemic period and cost of living crisis, to become a Charitable Incorporated Organisation serving North Yorkshire.

Meet co-founder lindsay oliver

From Project Managing a multi-million pound portfolio, facilitation of art sessions with vulnerable adults and young people to Executive PA in third sector and Peer Support Trainer Lindsay has accrued the career experience that has supported New Beginnings Peer Support to become a reality.

There was a very different reality behind closed doors however!. As a survivor of multiple abusive partners, Lindsay knows first hand the long-term realities of the aftermath of domestic abuse and has herself experienced the very system intended to support victims and survivors fall short.

As such her passion is to ensure women and their children are provided with a compassionate person-centered approach, providing them the opportunity to seize the tools required to empower them to create their own New Beginnings.

In addition, Lindsay is a firm believer in Peer Power and advocates for the use of peer voices to form positive changes in both our own organisation and policies and procedures county and countrywide. While New Beginnings Peer Support’s vision is a world free of domestic abuse, Lindsay’s ambition for the present is to eradicate the postcode lottery of support.

some of the new beginnings peer support team, including trustees, staff and volunteers presented with the high Sheriff of north yorkshire’s award for great and valuable services to the community

Meet the rest of the team

Dawn Marston

Peer Mentor Harrogate & Rural Districts

Tamala McDonagh

Peer Facilitator Ripon

Deborah Britz

Clinical Supervisor

Kelly Pfeister

Volunteer Co-ordinator

Kirsty Bentley

Lead Trainer

TRUSTEE BOARD & Ambassadors

AnGIE DE SPONG - CHAIR

VCSE & Education Specialist

VICKY MOODY - TREASURER

Chartered Accountant

carrie turner-fryatt - trustee

Assistant Psychologist

nekeshia williams - trustee

Virtual Assistant & Peer

susie little - trustee

Community Organisation Founder,

Bookkeeper & Copywriter

heidi richardson - trustee

Housing Options Manager

Mel Milner - co-founder & ambassador

VCSE Volunteer Services Development Lead

Amaal Abdalle - trustee

VCSE Service Manager

contact

Feel free to contact us with any questions.

Email
enquiries@newbeginningspeersupport.com

Phone
01423 313080