Sad but true..

A while ago, when I interviewed the chief of Thames Valley Police, Sara Thornton, I asked her what she'd do if she could wave a magic wand and fix one thing about society. She answered straightaway. "I'd put an end to domestic violence," she said. "It's one of the biggest issues facing the police nowadays, and it's growing."

Can you believe that one in four women will experience domestic abuse at some point in their lifetime. And women will be assaulted an average of 35 times before they seek help. Well today I met a woman who has injected her own dynamism into a local charity, East Berkshire Womens Aid which helps women (and some men) who are the victims. She's Gerry LeJeune - whose life was changed when, as head of HR for a big global company, she took some Christmas presents around to the local women's refuge. She couldn't believe what she saw - women and children living in terrible squalor because that was their only refuge. Within months, she was working for the charity - and has nurtured it from strength to strength.

Thanks to her efforts, and those of her team, she's received the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service and the MBE. What's more, they've won the Royal Borough Of Windsor and Maidenhead Charity of the Year for the last two years running! If you want to get involved, drop them an email to [email protected].