Queen Camilla has opened a new healing garden at the Asian Women's Resource Centre (AWRC) for those affected by domestic abuse. The Queen toured the newly refurbished centre, meeting survivors and workers who are dedicated to tackling violence and empowering women from Black, Minority and Ethnic backgrounds and their children. Her Majesty's visit marked the 45th anniversary of the London-based, grassroots charity. Report by Brooksl. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn
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00:00May I introduce you to the director?
00:07Namaste, I'm very nice to meet you. We met the same night.
00:12Yes we did, yes as well.
00:15This is the chair, Nikki.
00:18Hello, how are you?
00:20I'm going to introduce you to the staff members here.
00:25Hello again.
00:27She's the contracts manager working on the GLA project.
00:30Hello, so how long have you been here?
00:32Eight years now.
00:33Eight years?
00:34Eight years I've been working here.
00:36Hello, how are you? What about you?
00:39Yeah, I'm a frontline worker. I support survivors initially with assessments and guiding them further and advocating for them.
00:48I wanted to do something that would really bring closer to women, support them and also seeing them empowered.
00:55That is the fulfillment I get from doing this.
00:58So what?
00:59It's a partnership. We want to make it an equitable partnership between AWRC and Standing Together.
01:05What we do is we look at harmful practices, we look at the good things about our community, good things about the people that we work with.
01:12And then we also look at the things that are going wrong and how we can fix that.
01:17And we're doing a lot of work on self-healing, a lot of work on trauma.
01:21We started it in June and we're on our second cohort at the moment.
01:26And we are bringing about passionate, passionable, really happy and excited women in our industry.
01:34And we're hoping that they'll continue to live the work.
01:37When we're all gone, they'll still be there.
01:40They'll still continue.
01:42Yes, they'll look at the past.
01:44It sounds to be going very well.
01:46Yes, it is. Thank you.
01:50Hello, how are you?
01:51Good, thank you. I work in the IRIS project.
01:54So we train GPs within Harrow and Hillington.
01:58We help them identify how those symptoms correlate with abuse.
02:02And then also consult with them so they can call us if they get some information.
02:06That's such a good idea.
02:10Very nice to see you.
02:13She's one of the local women who's been on our committee telling us what the women need.
02:18Oh, so important, isn't it?
02:24Hello.
02:32I've been here for eight years.
02:36And what brought you here in the first place?
02:38An accident.
02:40Introduction, they need to come on temporarily just to think how to stand.
02:44And you stayed on?
02:45I stayed on.
02:47Lattery for them.
02:48Lovely to meet you.
02:49Very nice to see you.
02:50Hello, Your Majesty.
02:51Hello.
02:52And I'm the Foreign and Media Officer at IWRC.
02:55Are you?
02:56Yes.
02:57You must be very busy.
02:58Very busy indeed.
02:59Yes.
03:00So you've done that for a long time?
03:01It's been a long time, but I've been here for a year now.
03:04So come February it's going to be a year.
03:06A lot of people work here.
03:08A lot of people, yes.
03:09Doing a lot of wonderful things.
03:10Yes.
03:11Your Majesty, good afternoon.
03:13I look after communications, events and marketing.
03:16And I've been a very short time, but I loved every second of it, because as I'm sure you'll attest,
03:20the work that's been done here is so game-changing.
03:23And your presence is very welcome, and people are absolutely thrilled to have you here.
03:28Well, it was so wonderful talking to those survivors and hearing what a difference this has made in their lives.
03:34It's very moving.
03:35Absolutely.
03:37Lovely to have you here.
03:40Hello.
03:46So were you trained to do this?
03:49Yes.
03:52It's nice to hear that.
03:54Good morning, Your Majesty.
03:55How are you today?
03:56All right, thanks.
03:57I'm Raja.
03:58I'm a housing advocate here.
03:59I've been here about 18 months.
04:02So we support survivors who have a housing need, and we're in support of advocacy.
04:07It has, it has.
04:08Certainly.
04:09It's a good sort of area for women.
04:11It's absolutely brilliant.
04:12Yes.
04:14We thank you for everything.
04:15It's such fantastic progress.
04:16I need to share that.
04:17We've made such fantastic progress over the last couple of years.
04:19As you said, it's about lifting the lid.
04:21It's about raising the awareness.
04:23And talking about it.
04:24Yeah, absolutely.
04:25Thank you so much for lending support to this.
04:27It's so important to me.
04:28It's obviously happening.
04:33We need all of you here.
04:35My trustees.
04:36Hello.
04:37You're a very young trustee.
04:39I'm a very young trustee.
04:42I'm 27.
04:43So not that young.
04:45You're very young.
04:46Younger.
04:48So how long have you been a trustee?
04:50I've been a trustee for just coming up to a year.
04:52Started in May.
04:53Honestly, we provide such life-saving support to women and their children.
04:58Listen.
04:59You can see what good you're doing.
05:01The project is fantastic.
05:03No, it is absolutely wonderful.
05:04It's funded by all of the collective London boroughs.
05:07And it does a fantastic job to protect women from harm.
05:10Well, I'm very glad they've got you behind.
05:14Very important.
05:16From the Esme Fairbanks Foundation, who also funds the organisation.
05:21Yeah.
05:22So you'll help out.
05:24Yes.
05:25This is the beginning group.
05:31This is the wonderful Councillor Ismail Mohin.
05:34He's just really championed domestic abuse.
05:37And I think put Brent on the map.
05:39Yes.
05:41This is my first time.
05:42I've been with them for last June.
05:44And yes, we have made a really good relationship.
05:47Yes.
05:48Terrified.
05:50Still happy.
05:51The best we can to just, you know, every little impact.
05:57Very good.
06:02So, just a few words about the healing garden.
06:05This was obviously a space where women can heal from their traumas.
06:10You know, connect with other women.
06:13And just generally be in a nice space.
06:15I think we do project work.
06:18But I think sometimes we forget that just the emotional well-being is all for the women.
06:22You just want someone to go and sit by yourself.
06:24Yeah.
06:25Trees, I see.
06:26Yes, yes, yes.
06:29So I'd just like you to unveil one of our plaques that we will be displaying here.
06:36So this is a really momentous occasion for you to be able to do this.
06:39And here.
06:43There we are.
06:49So where are you going to put this?
06:52Where are we planning to put it?
06:53Somewhere where it can shine.
06:57And have pride of place.
06:59In here.
07:00Just in here would be good.
07:01Maybe here.
07:02Well, I'm so impressed by everything you've done here.
07:04Nice to come to our centre.
07:06Yes.
07:07Oh my goodness me.
07:09Thank you so much.
07:10Very, very kind of you.
07:12Thank you very much.
07:14As I say, thank you all for everything you do here.
07:17I thank you for presenting us and putting, giving us a little bit of a profile as well.
07:23Well, it's just so full.
07:25Just like trying to see everything.
07:28You've been amazing.
07:29All the different organisations.
07:31You know, I've heard a lot about this one because obviously Helen and I have been quite large in talking about it.
07:38You're absolutely amazing.
07:40You're so gorgeous.
07:41Very, very glad that I...
07:42Shall I take those because you've got another gift for me.
07:44Oh.
07:45We have a squirreling here.
07:47It's from our caterers.
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