At Finesse Skin Clinic, supporting Stroud Women’s Refuge is a cause very close to my heart. Through fundraising, awareness and initiatives such as Skincare Swap & Support, I hope to help make a difference to women and children who may be facing some of the most difficult times in their lives. Over the years, I’ve also taken on a number of personal challenges to help raise funds and awareness for this incredibly important cause — you can discover some of these further down the page.
Upgrade your skincare routine with medical-grade products from AlumierMD while making a difference in the lives of those in need.
Not only will you be treating your skin to the benefits of medical-grade skincare, but you’ll also be contributing to the well-being of women in crisis. It’s a win-win situation that allows you to make a positive impact while taking care of your skin.
Please feel free to donate additional toiletries. A bottle of deodorant or some shower gel may not seem like luxuries, but for those who have nothing these can be life-changing. Hygiene should be accessible to everyone but sadly there are still many people living in the UK without access to basic necessities like tampons and soap.
The criteria for donated products are as follows:
– New unopened, unexpired skincare products.
– Lightly used skin care products that are not past their expiry.
– Anything that comes in a tub or jar must be new.
– Lightly used products that come in pumps, tubes and bottles are welcome.
– If you would be embarrassed to give it to a friend then it should not be donated.
– All products should be wiped down with a medical grade sanitiser before being donated.
There will be a local drop off point in Dursley and also at Finesse Skin Clinic. Feel free to message me for more information.
For nearly 50 years SWR has been there to support women from all over the UK who have been forced to leave their homes due to domestic abuse. Originally established in 1977 as Stroud Beresford Group, the SWR is one of a handful of independent refuges in the UK, and now the only refuge in Gloucestershire offering safe accommodation and support to women and children and enabling them to re-build their lives.
Did you know that 1 in 4 women are subject to domestic abuse in their lifetime and not everyone is in the position to leave? If you’re looking for some support but don’t know where to start, click here for some useful information.
If you’re wondering how your donations from this scheme could help, below are examples:
In August 2025, I travelled to Peru to take on one of my biggest challenges yet: the four-day, 26-mile Inca Trail to Machu Picchu, followed by an unforgettable adventure into the Amazon jungle — all while raising money and awareness for Stroud Women’s Refuge.
The trail was far tougher than I had anticipated. I started the first day feeling unwell and quickly learnt that “moderate difficulty” in the Andes has a very different meaning! Day two took us over Dead Woman’s Pass at 4,215 metres, with relentless climbs, huge stone steps, thin air and aching legs. There were plenty of moments when it really was a case of putting one foot in front of the other, but the scenery was breathtaking, the support from the group was amazing and I was determined to keep going.
On the final morning, we were up at 3am to reach the Sun Gate and catch our first glimpse of Machu Picchu. The clouds initially had other ideas, but as they slowly lifted and Machu Picchu appeared beneath us, it made every single step of the previous four days worthwhile. It is genuinely difficult to describe the scale, beauty and atmosphere of the site until you have seen it for yourself.
After the trek, I swapped mountains for the Amazon jungle, where we experienced an incredible range of wildlife in its natural habitat — including sloths, monkeys, caiman, macaws, tarantulas and, amazingly, an anteater.
Together, the challenge raised £886 for Stroud Women’s Refuge — something that made every aching muscle, early start and enormous Inca step completely worthwhile.
It was 15th May 2024 that I set off to do my Cotswold Way Walk Challenge over 8 days. In the wrong direction – I add. Ha ha. I soon realised and with instructions on how to use my physical compass I was finally headed the right way.
For those of you that follow me on social media you will probably be aware of what then followed. After 47.7 miles and 4 days I had to make the tough and very emotional call to PAUSE due to severe exercise induced vasculitis. Believe me I was absolutely gutted. Having to make that announcement was the worst thing ever. I literally ‘put my feet up’ for the rest of the week and pondered my next move. Far too many puns here.
The rest did me the world of good – here is a picture of my legs after 19 miles walking on day 4 and how much they had improved just 7 days later…..
Once healed I decided to restart the walk, at much slower pace over my weekends and I duly completed the 102miles before the end of July 2024 raising a massive £3540 and that figure was before gift aid was applied.
