Six years ago, Sheila tragically lost her daughter (Carly) to domestic violence when she was killed by her boyfriend.  Since then she has worked tirelessly to raise awareness of domestic violence, and to raise funds for counselling for victims. Sheila has campaigned in her local community in Wigan to make sure that everyone is aware of the risks associated with male domestic violence against women.  She has used her own experience to gain coverage in the local press, radio and national magazines.

Every year around the time of Carly’s birthday on the 26th April, Sheila organises a concert in the Wigan area.  This event is reaches people who would not otherwise engage with domestic abuse services as well as generating local publicity. Sheila has also arranged fundraising events to raise funds for “Carly’s Fund” to support counselling for victims, which she found invaluable after Carly was killed.
As an “ordinary” member of the community, Sheila has used different methods to those used by the wider domestic abuse sector, and in this way has reached people who are often not reached by the work of other organisations and individuals.  This has included writing her personal story for magazines and the annual Carly Memorial Concert.