Hello, I am a motivated and driven individual who is very passionate about supporting people and seeing them smile.

I lived and worked in London for nine years, supporting young people in the social care and youth justice sectors.

I feel that if I can help to make a difference in people's lives, then I am achieving what I am passionate about.

Make Your Choice means a lot to me. It isn't just a venture or a job, it is something that I feel from the heart, because I was that girl twenty years ago! So many girls and young women are entering the justice system without any support. Some of them are promised lavish lifestyles, when in reality, some of them are being groomed and used to commit crimes daily. This is heartbreaking, as when I see this happening, I know what is to come for them and how hard life will be for them if they do not change things around.

My parents worked very hard, to ensure that we all had a great life. The memories that I have are amazing and I had a very good upbringing. However, this did not stop me being around and involved in crime! I had been in a relationship from a young age with a man who made a career from criminal activity. I thought that life was wonderful at the time and he gave me everything that a young girl wanted in that time. However, I chose to be blind to what was really happening around me and the effects that it would have on me and the people around me. Time went on and they began venturing out and becoming involved in bigger, dangerous things. I still chose to stay blind and engaged in spending money that was made through crime and also enabled myself to become entangled in their world in different ways. I was studying at the time and had dreams of an amazing life together away from all of this, but I was naive and didn't understand the full extent of a criminal enterprise at that stage or the impact that it could . There were things and events that should have made me think more clearly and remove myself from this downward spiral, but instead, I told myself that I was in love and that everything would be okay, even when we were attacked in our own home and I was stabbed, I still chose to stay blind. Not long after this horrific event, we were arrested and this is when my eyes began to open and I realised the depths of what was happening and where this life was going. I was charged with conspiracy, which is a charge that can remain, even if you have not actually committed a crime yourself, but have been around those doing so and participated in conversations and activity relating to the crimes. I received a seven year custodial sentence following a lengthy court case. I was devastated and felt like my life was over. My world came crashing down in the blink of an eye and in that moment, i realised that I was vulnerable, alone, traumatised and broken. My parents were devastated and it resulted in my father having a nervous breakdown because he just couldn't understand how I had gotten involved in such a thing. Going to prison was the worst experience of my life, but it was the biggest life lesson and a huge eye-opener in to myself as a person. It mentally destroyed me and put me at the lowest point I had ever been! By being at that point, I had no alternative other than to pick myself up. It is the toughest and hardest journey that I have ever been on. Not only was I broken, but I had broken my parents and left them serving a sentence too. I was far away from of my family and I quickly figured out that I only had one real friend. It took me a long time to recover from the trauma of the years that I had spent in prison. I had to rebuild my life from the bottom right the way up. The trauma that can come from being involved in a criminal lifestyle and prison is not a joke and I hope that I can support as many young women as possible, to ensure that they never have to go through what I did. I left prison twelve years ago and have worked for a number of charities and local authorities, supporting young people and adults. Life is something that many people take for granted, but by losing everything, I learnt to value each day and everything that I have and have worked hard to build.

I share my story, to spread awareness and help as many girls and young women as I can!