Family is a documetary I wrote, directed and produced over a period of 5 years. It has just been accepted into the Respect Human Rights Film Festival in Belfast this March. Family is the story of two sisters whose fates are irrevocably entwined; Nina, a woman severely sexually-abused as a child and teenager by her […]

As a Community Worker, I often see women who are dealing with intense stress and trauma. They are often depressed and vulnerable. I try to remain present and to give each woman my complete attention. Lately, I have become curious about what brings joy and satisfaction to women during times of adversity. I began to […]

This year, Bonnie’s is 42 years old.  When we began in the 1970’s, our founders were young women, only in their 20s and 30s: some were students, some ‘city feminists’, some local women who simply saw the need for women’s safety in their community every day. They established this second-ever refuge completely off their own […]

An important focus at Bonnie’s is making sure that our families can provide nutritious meals so the children have the best chance in life to grow and thrive. We do this with one to one family support, and workers provide mentoring, and encouragement, to eat healthily. The mums who stay with us at our refuges are just […]

I am an Intake worker at Bonnies. I work out if we’re the best service for a woman, depending on her needs and how we can help. Nothing is straightforward. For example, I’ll always remember this woman… I was really proud of her. I saw her in an outreach capacity when I was at the […]

How did we celebrate this Christmas at Bonnie’s? Christmas Day in a refuge can be very bit different to what our women and their children are used to. Look at it in this way: suddenly you are not celebrating with your extended family. Instead you are with families that you met just a couple of […]

When Liverpool City Council and the Bulldogs NRL put out an advertisement to run a workshop for young people, we jumped at the chance.  The workshop would give the young people an hour sporting activity with the Bulldogs and then an our educational program with a service like ours. Of course, we wanted to use […]

Wrapping up 2016, we thought we’d share with you a serious but heartwarming video about  ‘Kids’ Honest Opinions on Being a Boy or Girl Around the World.” Check out the video below…

Back when we finished our new offices and interview rooms, we planned to frost the glass walls. But then we thought: Why not do something creative? Here was an opportunity to show Aboriginal woman and children that they are welcome here, and to add beauty to function. We wanted something that would reflect our space – […]

Have you ever heard a song and thought, “This is my song!” A song that makes you feel all tingly inside and inspire you to take action, a song that brings out the passion in you or just simply make you feel a bit better inside. Well? We might have the playlist to get you […]

While working with my clients at Bonnie’s, I realize the importance of building good relationships especially for migrant woman. When these women find they are victims of domestic violence, they don’t have too many options to look at for help. They don’t have friends or family or jobs. They don’t have the relationships that others […]

Bonnie’s recently had the pleasure of revealing our new ‘Kids Space’ at one of the refuges. The existing children’s space was run down and lacked the ‘warmth’ that is at the centre of all we’re trying to do here at Bonnie’s. We wanted a welcoming and appealing homely space for the mothers and children to […]