A powerful and emotive event was held to mark 45 years of domestic abuse charity Fortalice.
Since the organisation was established in 1977, Fortalice has provided support, education, and advice to thousands of families.
CEO of the charity, Gill Smallwood MBE, was always driven towards helping people, and started out at Fortalice during a psychology placement when she was at Bolton College.
She stayed in education for 28 years, but her career changed when one of her students - in an abusive relationship with her boyfriend - was murdered by him.
She says that one of the driving forces that keeps her going and motivated to do the work she does, is the transformation that takes place after people use Fortalice’s services.
Gill added: “When I see people come through the service and I see those success stories and see children and people heal and start a new life, that’s what it’s about for me.
“It is absolutely amazing to have been around as a charity for 45 years.
“Today is about celebrating people being able to have a service and actually being free from domestic abuse.
“The best thing is working with such a wonderful team and seeing the results that those teams get.”
She said that funding still continues to be a challenge for the charity and that they are still in need of £259,000.
But she did say that the people of Bolton have been especially kind over the years with donations, even when they didn’t have anything.
Vice Chancellor at the University of Bolton, Professor George E Holmes, generously announced that the university would donate £45k to the charity - £1k for every year the charity has been around.
The special event was hosted by the university, where several speeches were read out, along with a short video that was shared, including a story from a domestic abuse survivor.
She said: “I am very grateful to Fortalice because when I got there with a baby and my baby had just started school, I thought is this what my life has come to.
“I was completely lost when I get there, but I have found myself again now.”
She has since gone on to have another baby and start a new relationship.
Several touching monologues were also read out by actress Maxine Peake and Isabel Ford, which were created by David Peck, after he had spoken to three different women who shared their experiences of domestic violence.
A buffet was also provided to celebrate the occasion.
Training co-ordinator Alison Wallace Berry has provided training to several outlets including the University of Bolton, student nurses, Crown Prosecution Services, social workers the English Football League, and more.
She said: "It’s about getting that victim survivor the right response the first time.
“There have been a lot of changes over the years, with 12 members of staff when I first started increasing to 60.
“It’s just grown and developed even more.
“I love being able to help somebody.”
Fortalice is known for offering frontline services, including a refuge with 22 flats, training and group work for victims who are, or have been affected by, domestic abuse and violence.
Its services support women, men, families, children and young people in Bolton and the surrounding areas.
The charity works to promote and ensure a future free from abuse, whilst educating young people on the services.
Council Leader Martyn Cox also came to show his support, as well as opposition leader Cllr Nick Peel, former mayor of Bolton, Linda Thomas, and several other councillors.
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