
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