Swindon Sisters Alliance

24/06/2026

23/06/2026

Today I donated half my hair and kept half for myself.

Life has taught me that it’s not measured by what we keep, but by what we give away to help someone else 🥰

20/06/2026

Meet the Julie everyone who knew her loved, her amazing smile and kindness 🥰

18/06/2026

The Words Julie Kept…

Im reading the same words Julie held onto after losing our mum in 1998.

What stands out to me isn’t just the poem. It’s Julie.

She was looking for words that could bring comfort to others at our mums funeral. That tells me she wanted those things for the people around her, even while she was hurting.

Her handwriting makes it even more powerful. You’re not just reading a poem. You’re seeing the pressure of her pen, the way she formed her letters, even her mistakes and the time she took to copy every word.

For a few moments, the distance between 1998 and today disappears. A time capsule open up years later, how her words sit with us today and her kindness and the legacy continues to reach people in ways she would never imagine.

Julie thought of others when she picked this poem to hear and for others to hold on too.

She kept this poem from 1998-2005
I kept it safe from 2005 to the present day.

A perfect poem for our mum, a perfect poem for others to listen to when grieving. And now I re gift it to you in her name.

What strikes me is that Julie’s Haven wasn’t created from the poem, but when you read the poem now, it’s almost as if she had created it herself and holds the values of Julie.

Julie heart always carried hope, comfort, courage, beautiful places, brighter days this eventually found their way into Julie’s Haven without either of us knowing it when it was wrote at the time.

Julie’s Haven exists so that, for a little while, life’s journey can feel more lovely than lonely. A piece of her heart, frozen in time and it reminds us exactly who she is.

A daughter grieving her mum.

To a sister grieving a big sister

And a organisation carrying forward the same message of hope that Julie chose nearly 3 decades ago.

“ May they give you gifts that never, never end…beautiful places, brighter days…Giving you hope that is as certain as the sun” ☀️

Julie’s legacy.. ❤️

15/06/2026

The hidden reason why Brean became the home of Julie’s Haven ❤️

Brean was never just a holiday destination for us.

It was recovery before I even understood what recovery was.

It was living in the present when my mind often wanted to stay in the past.

It was something to look forward to when life had already brought so much grief, trauma and loss.

Every part of our journey has now become symbolic.

As children, we were gifted holidays in a static caravan. Looking back now, I often wonder what memories I would have held onto if we hadn’t had those holidays.

Would I only remember the difficult times? Or would I still have memories of laughter, adventures and precious time spent with our Mum, Stepdad and sisters?

Years later, Brean became part of our own little family’s story too.

It was where we had our first family holiday.

From one child, to two, then three, we returned when we could. Sometimes for a holiday, sometimes just for a day trip.

We walked along the beach, visited Unity Beach, explored the markets and car boot sales, spent hours at the theme park, and climbed Brean Down together.

We never had much money being teenage parents and for many years we lived in hardship.

Those holidays were only possible because Lee’s mum had a caravan there for a couple of years and generously took us with her after.

She had taken me in when I was homeless after losing our mum. 2 weeks before I birth my first child.

What she gave us was far more valuable than a holiday.

She gave us memories.

She gave us photographs that captured our children growing up.

She gave us time together.

Looking back now, those photographs mean more than I could ever have imagined.

They captured moments I didn’t realise would become so important in my own healing journey.

When people ask what helped me, I often find myself coming back to the same answer.

Time together.

Happy memories.

Having something positive to hold onto when life threw more challenges our way.

I often wonder whether my recovery would have taken even longer if we hadn’t been gifted those holidays and these precious memories.

Because when I look back, I don’t just see beaches and caravans.

I see my children growing up sitting on a hill having time with their Dad and a short time where they could be children not looking after their own mother.

I see family.

I see love.

I see moments that reminded me there was still joy amongst the trauma.

Brean became part of our story long before Julie’s Haven existed.

And years later, when we created Julie’s Haven, it felt right that it should be here.

Because before Brean became a place where families could make memories through Julie’s Haven, it was the place where memories were gifted to us too.

The memories of childhood holidays with our own family.

The memories of raising our children.

The memories captured in photographs that became more precious with time.

The memories that reminded me there was more to life than grief and trauma.

And now, through Julie’s Haven, we have the privilege of giving that same gift to other families and gifted back what others gifted to us.

Because sometimes a holiday is never just a holiday.

Sometimes it’s a memory that carries you through the years that follow.

As a mum, I know the memories we make with our children and family become the photographs we treasure years later. No family should miss those moments simply because of hardship and trying to recovery when impacted by trauma. ❤️

14/06/2026

When we founded Julie’s Haven, our own little stories became part of the reason why.

It was about giving families something we know you can never get back once it’s gone: time together.

We cannot change the past.
We cannot promise what the future will bring. But we can change the right now.

We can create space for rest, healing, laughter, adventures and memories.

Sometimes that looks like a day at the beach.
Sometimes it’s a family meal.
Sometimes it’s a photograph taken in the moment, without anyone realising how important it may one day become.

Through my own grief, I’ve learned that photographs become far more than pictures.

They become the smile you miss.
The moment you want back.
The proof that someone was here, that they were loved, and that they lived.

Every family who visits Julie’s Haven leaves with memories. Many leave with photographs too.

We hope those pictures remain happy reminders of a special time together, but we also understand something deeper.

One day, those photographs may become priceless.

Because memories are not made when we lose people. They are made in the moments we share while they are still here.

These photos were from our mum and stepdad’s last holiday together. Me and Julie didn’t go on this holiday.

Our little sister did. She was only around 8 years old at the time, and today she gets to hold onto these memories of their last holiday together.

You may see a static mobile home , a family having fun, and moments captured in pictures.

But to us, this is so much more.

Julie’s Haven was created from real life experience.

Years before, Our family were gifted a similar static family holiday, someone couldn’t go.

We don’t have any photographs from that time, with all of us but the memories of the static holiday stayed with us forever.

We had dreams of one day recreating that static family holiday experience.

We never got the time to book it for ourselves in adulthood.

So we delivered it, renamed it Julie’s Haven in her memory instead, so other families could experience the happiness we held on to.

Julie’s Haven was created from lived experience not in board meetings, not with public funded money, not a retirement project or for own legacy it’s from someone else’s pain …

We lived it each day and experienced it, cherished memories, photographs we now hold in our palms, and the understanding that time together is one of the most precious gifts we can ever give back to our community. ❤️

13/06/2026

It is with great sadness that we share the funeral details for Charlotte “Charlie” Quince.

Our thoughts remain with Charlie’s family, friends, and everyone who knew and loved her.

Charlie, I will forever remember our time together, your giggle and your beautiful smile.

Thank you for every hour, every conversation, and every act of kindness you gave to me, our team, and our community when volunteering with us.

Charlie will be greatly missed by all who knew her.

Fly high, beautiful angel. 💚

At the family's request, we sadly announce:

QUINCE
Charlotte
'Charlie'
Passed away unexpectedly on 15th May 2026, aged 28 years.
Loving Mummy, Daughter, Sister and Granddaughter. Charlie will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
Funeral service to be held at Kingsdown Crematorium on Friday 26th June at 11.30am. At the family's request, please wear something green or colourful.
Family flowers only, however donations would be appreciated for Swindon Sister's Alliance c/o Hillier Funeral Service, Kingshill House, Kent Road, Swindon, SN1 4NH or online at https://www.hillierfuneralservice.co.uk/obituaries/charlotte-charlie-quince/
Enquiries; Tel: 01793 522797

12/06/2026

💜 Fundraising night In aid of Swindon Sisters Alliance 💜

We’re delighted that Kayleigh, Sam and Kelly have chosen Swindon Sisters Alliance for their Ben Nevis challenge.

If you’d like to support their fundraising efforts, please consider attending or donating via the link below and help them reach their target.

Every donation will help us continue supporting individuals and families at Julie’s Haven Holidays.

Thank you for your support 💜

👇 Fundraising link in the comments 👇

11/06/2026

Sometimes I wonder if the justice system truly understands what it places upon victims and families.

An exclusion map can look like nothing more than lines drawn on a piece of paper.

A decision is made.
A file is closed.
Paperwork is filed away.
The meeting ends.

But the impact doesn’t stay on that paper.

For years, my life revolved around those lines.

Not because they were drawn there, but because of what they represented.

Fear.

Risk.

The possibility of unexpectedly coming face to face with the man who murdered my sister.

The constant need to think ahead.
The delayed posts until you get in your safe zone.
The loss of confidence that quietly creeps into places you never expected.
The invisible restrictions that become part of your everyday life.

Years later, I was told victims and families could ask for any exclusion map they wished, and that it was for the Parole Board to decide and that was their right to begin with.

This would have been submitted by the liaison officers and hit the correct people to make those decisions. Never a fight I should have had to request a bigger map to actually be submitted.

It’s never a guarantee we would’ve got the map but it would have by passed the victim liaison who tried to request us to adapted our life within 400meters to life our life in. From my home to no protection.

That’s the one final fight I shouldn’t have been impacted with. Not battling to try to even submit one or extend one upon his release. Where I had to prove where I went and how I live to justify it.

Had I been given that information at the beginning, I wouldn’t had to never go public.

Instead, I spent years wondering why I had fought so hard, gone public, signed petitions and challenged decisions, when the guidance I was eventually given appeared very different from the guidance we received at the time.

The real-life impact lasted far longer than any meeting, policy or piece of paperwork.

Yesterday, more than five and a half years after his release, I did something many people do without a second thought.

I travelled home completely on my own.

No es**rt.
No husband waiting hours nearby.
No taxi ordered
No staying in busy public places until someone could collect me.

Just me.

I spent the week planning.

I told myself I would decide on the day and not put pressure on myself.

A bus.
A train.
A route I’d never done alone.
Outside of the exclusion zone all on my own….

I stood outside for thirty minutes calming my racing heart. Spent 3 hours well there planning how I can do this on my own.

I read the signs. Then read them again.

I checked Google Maps repeatedly.

I took my time.

One decision at a time.

Had my family WhatsApp chat which helped me.

There were moments I nearly gave up.

Two Number 10 buses and panic started creeping in.

Could I make the right decision?

Could I wait there outside for 15mins and catch the correct number 10 bus?

Could I do this without calling for help?

I got on the bus.

Ten stops…
Am I going to get off at the right stop?

later, I reached the train station.

Then the train was delayed.

My anxiety rose again.

Lee called again and offered me a lift home, and honestly, I nearly said yes.

To most people, it was an hour-long journey.

To me, it was more than five years in the making.

What took an hour to complete took years of rebuilding confidence, challenging fear, living with PTSD, and learning to step beyond the invisible boundaries that became part of my life after someone else’s crime.

Yesterday, I stepped beyond that fear.

And today, I’m incredibly proud of myself.

Not because I caught a bus and a train.

But because, after more than five years, I finally believed I could after grounded my self after therapy help me to learn different skills.

This was never the map I wanted to live my life by.

It was the aftermath of someone else’s crime.

But yesterday, for the first time, I beat the map and my thoughts that I can’t do this in my own.

If I really couldn’t achieve it and have to ring someone to collect me at least I tried for the first time.

And for one journey home, the fear didn’t win.

I taken the first steps in reclaiming a piece of my freedom and I have these pictures now of my very first journey and knowing I got home safely ❤️

11/06/2026