Thread Together Limited

We held a very special event for International Women’s Day and I wanted to share some of the details with you. In collaboration with some of our fashion partners, we banded together to give women an experience every woman loves, new clothing! The women had recently arrived at a women’s shelter after leaving a domestic violence situation. We provided a safe place for women to feel beautiful and have the opportunity to be styled in forever pieces from their wardrobe. Our fashion stylists spent some time getting to know them and understanding what they wanted. Quotes: “Honestly, today was just a great experience for me and my sisters. It was something different and out of my comfort zone. I met a lot of amazing people today and am very grateful and humbled to be a part of this. Thank you all again.” “Thread Together were lovely, kind, supportive, amazing and they really went above and beyond to help us look and feel empowered. I loved the bag of goodies they helped me choose and getting my hair done. Best I’ve felt in a long time!!” “Thank you so much for having us today. It was a women’s day and the best feeling I had being around such lovely people. I had a great time where women were cherishing women.” “Honestly, I had the best experience today. Everyone was so lovely and I’m so happy to be a part of this day. It means a lot see us all united as well as enjoying life and being happy. Thank you again for inviting me today, it was awesome!”

Meet Gemma – Strong, Independent and Resilient Gemma has been faced with more trauma than anyone should ever endure, and it all began when she was a child. Gemma was born into a family that saw her mother struggle with drug addiction and a stepfather that took his anger out on her. Before she was 18 she had lived in over 100 ‘homes’ and faced daily abuse by the men in her mother’s life. When Gemma was 10, her mother gave birth to her younger brother whilst still heavily addicted to drugs. This meant Gemma raised her brother from birth and looked after the household whilst still attending school. The pressure and need for Gemma to grow up quickly was immense. Gemma described life at home as living through hell. The fridge and pantry were always bare, and she only had access to the clothing she was wearing. Gemma describes that her clothes were always ripped or outgrown, which only served as a daily reminder of for herself and her siblings. After leaving home, Gemma continued to experience a string of continued abuse. Gemma moved through many homeless shelters before being supported by one of our partners Dignity, who introduced Gemma to Thread Together. Gemma explains the moment she stepped inside Thread Together’s Clothing Hub, she felt a sense of relief and a wave of confidence, with the ability to choose new clothing providing her with a sense of hope. Gemma, 28, describes that she had never had an opportunity to browse and select anything from a clothing store, so this was a daunting however an extremely empowering experience. Thread Together’s stylists supported her to feel comfortable and select clothes that matched her style as well as providing her with suitable clothing for job interviews. Gemma could not believe her eyes that all the clothing was brand new and beautifully hung ready for her to select, try on and take home. Gemma has since gained employment as a florist at SLAK flowers. Gemma said that the “clothes meant everything to me, especially when Iwas starting my life up again.” Gemma wants to give others hope, which is why she continues to fight her daily struggles.