Hi I'm Elle,

In September, I'm going to Peru to hike the 42 kilometre Inca trail to Machu Picchu. I'm flying there alone and will meet a group of women there who I will spend 11 days with, hiking, exploring and sharing stories.

I am doing this to raise the vital funds to create accessible wellness and fitness opportunities for women who have experienced sexual assault and are struggling to access places where they feel safe and understood.

Many women who have experienced sexual assault struggle to access wellbeing opportunities out of fear. Whether that's fear of getting to these venues, fear of who may be there or fearing what emotions may come up. But together I hope to create a calming atmosphere for growth.

This project is deeply personal to me as someone who has been through the trauma of sexual violence and experienced the devastating aftermath it can have.

in 2024, I set up my small business Elle's Organic living. I provide art for wellbeing workshops, mindful fitness workshops and sound baths with an emphasis on bettering mental health in all my sessions. Within these sessions I've worked with an array of inspiring people with mental health issues, trauma, learning disabilities and physical disabilities to improve their mental health, self esteem and combat loneliness.

I aim to provide yoga classes, a support group, art therapy workshops, and sound baths for the women who need it the most but are struggling to access it in the Wigan Borough.

I experienced my first sexual assault at 19 years old, many women will experience this at an even younger age. This can impact so much of our lives creating isolation, shame and guilt as well as effecting our work life, relationships and friendships. I hope through sharing my story and creating this platform for women we can decrease the stigma, empower women to stand strong and improve the mental health and self esteem of many women.

If you know someone in and around the wigan borough who could benefit from the support of these sessions please contact me. I aim to help as many women as I can with the funds raised, every woman involved will access my sessions for free.

Thankyou so much for reading.