Jennie Walker, SI Kernow
Saoirse, with her striking ginger hair and beautiful teal, velvet suit addressed the conference hall with confidence, directness and humour. This is a young woman who has already experienced a great deal of trauma in her life and now wishes to use these experiences to benefit others.
She described battling anorexia, various eating disorders and an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. From witnessing her brother’s death by car accident at aged 16, to plying herself with alcohol (4x over the limit!) and attempting to kill herself, she described the dark isolation of her existence before finding help and support at aged 21, when she entered a period of ‘detox’.
She is now three years sober and talked with pride about her experience of AA meetings, the 12 step fellowship programme, her spiritual beliefs and the pivotal points to a more sustainable and positive lifestyle.
Blog writing led on to a podcast with a friend in which she spilled the blunt truth about her past. The attention that this brought, began to help her to see a way in which she could share her experiences to help others. Working with a writing coach she began to construct a book. She attributes her success with the book to the ongoing support of the local Soroptimists and the Diamond Education Grant award.
She was very complimentary about the Soroptimists, saying that she had found ‘a world of women that she wanted to be like!’ She mentioned a number of individual Soroptimists, including Dishi Attwood and Sally Bee who had been pivotal in their support as he produced her debut novel – A Colourful Life.
Whilst giving a safeguarding message about the contents of the book she hoped that people would find it useful to learn from her experiences.
Saoirse concluded her presentation by repeatedly remarking about how she was both inspired and given hope by the Soroptimists. ‘Women with remarkable skill sets who wanted to empower her’. She also appreciated that the book and connections to the Soroptimist network has now given her a platform to help others, something that she was deeply thankful for.
Before she left the stage she asked permission for a selfie with the audience, a request that was very positively received. If the Diamond Education Grant and the associated Soroptimist support that is offered with it can have this much impact on one girl, we clearly need to keep on doing it!!!!