Stories are, quite simply, one of our favourite things. We think stories are wonderful- they encourage, they uplift and they bring life. We love hearing about stories of when The Beehive has created space for people to thrive and has really made an impact on someone’s life.
Recently, Eva shared her story with us, and we wanted to share it and celebrate it with you too.
Eva came into the Beehive in 2017 in our very first shop- Our month long pop-up that launched The Beehive into the town centre for the first time. She had seen our shop advertised locally and came in to have a look around. She had just left a painful relationship, and donated her clothes that were attached to the memories from that period of her life. Stepping through those doors, and getting such a warm welcome from our volunteers made her feel amazing, and she left feeling so much better than when she first arrived.
“Stepping through those doors, and getting such a warm welcome from our volunteers made her feel amazing, and she left feeling so much better than when she first arrived. ”
“”I was on Universal Credit and sometimes only had a couple of pounds spare, but I would go in for a piece of cake and a cuppa. I was always made to feel welcome!” ”
Fast forward to 2019. Eva managed to bravely escape another abusive relationship. Coming into the Beehive still covered in bruises- both emotional and physical, she found a safe space under our roof to cry her first tears, as the whole situation, and relief fell on her. She said “Everyone was so friendly, sitting with me and passing tissues.”
After a long legal process, the time came for her final court date in June 2020, to which she wore a beautiful wrap green dress from our shop.“I felt so confident in it, I had the empowerment of [The Beehive] ladies behind me. They put a prayer in the Prayer Hive for me and then I landed a new job too!”
Since meeting Eva in 2017, she has become a regular in the shop, and has even volunteered her time at Ashford Vineyard (our community church) with The Big Christmas Dinner in 2019 too, which she loved. She says that “The Beehive is such a special place for me” and we are incredibly humbled that she feels that way. We know that Eva will always find a safe place with us, where she feels that she has somewhere to go if she needs support for anything in her life, at any time.
Eva in her Beehive dress, on her way to court, 2020.
The Beehive at its very core, has always been and will always be, a shop with a heart. We care so deeply and genuinely, about seeing people thrive, and being more than just a one-stop shop. We are a place where anyone and everyone can find the love and support that they need, whether paying customer, referred client or volunteer. We want our home to be your home. We want our family to be your family.
Thank you Eva, for sharing your story with us!
Got your own story to tell? No matter how big or small, we’d love to hear it- fill in this easy form and tell us about your Beehive Story. (Even if you want us to keep it private and not share it, that’s absolutely ok. But we’d still love to know!)
Want to support all that The Beehive does in Ashford? If you’d like to give financially, just click the “Donate” button on the button in this post or pop in & visit us in the shop & enjoy our clothes or cafe.
If you’re not local, but still want in on The Beehive shopping experience, we have a range of Beehive Merch available online too.
Or if you want to support us in a free & easy way, simply follow along with our story on social media & share us far and wide.
Author: Karen Thatcher (“Creativity and Comms Guru”)
Karen is one of our Core Team at The Beehive. She has been with us since day one, and oversees all the design, comms and digital side of what we do. When she’s not volunteering her time at The Beehive, she is a Freelance Creative & Communications Consultant, and has a little Empathy Card Shop on the side too.