Biography
I attended the UR retreat in 2023 after a long and intense struggle with my mental health that had peaked in the year prior. After years of struggle, and spending my whole life never quite feeling like I could or would ever truly “fit in”, Bridgebuilders gave me a place where I could be myself, a place where I could breath out without needing to think twice about if my ‘weirdness’ was too much or too annoying. It became this haven where I could embrace and accept myself completely and get the exact same in return. Combined with a thoughtful program of inspiring and hope-filled workshops and guest speakers, the Retreat is nothing short of life changing. In 2025, I had the incredible opportunity of joining the team of leaders in changing the lives of 70 young women on the UR retreat, this experience was something I’ll never forget, seeing how quickly the girls flourished in just 4 days of such a gorgeous and nurturing environment could only be described as magic. I struggle to find the words to fully describe how it felt giving back to the girls what was given to me just a couple of years earlier. This year, despite being in my final year of VCE, I have decided to continue to fulfil my dream as a leader on the UR Retreat to change the lives of another 70 young women. The camp relies entirely on team-fundraised donations and sponsors in order to keep it running and accessible to absolutely every young woman. Every donation, big or small, allows the UR Retreat team at Bridgebuilders to directly continue changing the lives of our young women in the community.
