As The Asian Women’s Resource Centre celebrated its 45th anniversary on Thursday, Queen Camilla was among the special guests marking the occasion.
The Queen, who has long made domestic violence awareness part of her work, joined survivors, staff, trustees and volunteers to open the new Healing Garden.
The Healing Garden was officially opened by Queen Camilla during the visit, giving survivors a space to contemplate and feel rejuvenated when visiting the Centre. The Queen unveiled a plaque to commemorate her visit.
The Queen then met privately with a group of survivors and chatted with them for roughly 30 minutes. Afterwards, she was overheard telling a staff member that it had been “So wonderful talking to those survivors and hearing what a difference it makes to their lives,” and pondered, “Thank goodness that you’re all here. What would they do without you?”
Founded in 1980, The Asian Women’s Resource Centre supports Black, Minority and Ethnic women and girls who have survived abuse. The Centre specialises in “addressing the unique intersectional cultural and systemic barriers that some South Asian women experience, ensuring they have access to the resources and trauma informed support necessary to lead safe and fulfilling lives,” according to a Buckingham Palace press release.
The Asian Women’s Resource Centre posted on their official Instagram: “Thank you to everyone who attended and especially to those who opened up so bravely about their own experiences of abuse[.] To have the support of Her Majesty means the world and sends a really powerful message that we are united in our commitment to end abuse for good.”
