Beyond the shop? Find guides, reviews & our preloved shop.
Beyond the shop? Find guides, reviews & our preloved shop.
I keep everything organised behind the scenes, spend a lot of time communicating with users, answering questions submitted via our website, working with partners to create guest blogs, and communicating with users regarding rehoming mobility equipment. I am currently working from home on a flexible schedule, which has been so lovely as it allows me to work around being a mam to my little boy Noah.
My responsibilities include managing emails, creating and publishing preloved advertisements, overseeing social media, and organising blogs like this one. What I enjoy most is working with a team dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities, including my brother.
While I don’t have a disability myself, my younger brother lives with Global Development Delay, Hypermobility, and Arnold Chiari Syndrome. Witnessing his daily struggles to understand or communicate—often leading to tears, throwing toys, and even self-harm—has given me a deep understanding of how quickly someone can go from feeling okay to overwhelmed and out of control. It has also provided me with insight into the many challenges faced by people with disabilities, such as navigating services, organising equipment, and attending numerous hospital appointments.
My mental health was up and down when I was younger. As one of ten siblings, our dad’s nightly drinking and strict 6 PM bedtime were hard to cope with for us. I struggled to understand why he didn’t want to spend time with us like other families. His favouritism towards certain siblings was equally frustrating and upsetting, and I can only imagine how much harder it was for my younger siblings to comprehend the situation. There was a period of six months when my mam left my dad for a safe house, and for the first time, I felt genuinely happy. However, that sense of normality disappeared when she returned, and my life felt like it crumbled once more.
Several years later, I slowly began to rebuild my life. Then my life changed for the better with the arrival of my baby boy in March 2024. At first, I struggled with becoming a mam and felt like I was losing myself. Balancing life with two Labradors, a cat, and a baby was no easy feat! But now that I’ve settled into a routine, I feel like myself again and realise how far I’ve come since I started at AYL. Watching him grow has been so precious, and I am so grateful to have a flexible job with Access Your Life so I don’t have to miss out on seeing my son grow while also helping out with my brother’s care and looking after my younger siblings.
Today, I am living in my own three-bedroom house, free from alcohol, with a job I enjoy, my son Noah, and a home filled with pets I love. I genuinely feel more complete than ever. In my free time, I enjoy going on outings with my son, caring for my pets, and trying new experiences. To anyone who needs to hear this, please remember that your mental health genuinely matters.
