Bev

Transforming broken pieces into art is something Bev does very well, and is something of a metaphor for her life and dreams for her upcycling business.

Bev’s younger years weren’t easy; her father died when she was young and Bev and her five siblings were raised by her mother. It was during this time that Bev was sexually abused by her stepfather.

Bev married in her 20s but raised her two children alone after her husband passed away. The family survived on very little money and Bev had only herself to rely on to do all the carpentry and other handiwork around the house, something which she attributes her upcycling skills to.

Bev has spent most of her professional life as a personal carer for others – particularly for those needing palliative, dementia-specific and mental health care.

Bev suffered further abuse from a partner, and the pain and hurt from this and her childhood took its toll on her health. To escape being badly mistreated by someone she was caring for, Bev slept in her car and reached out to a support service when she had nowhere else to go. Bev eventually found a room in a women’s refuge, where she has been living for two years.

Bev still works casually as a carer but is passionate about getting her upcycling and mosaics business off the ground.  Upcycling is the process of transforming by-products, waste materials, useless, or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or for better environmental value.

Making ends meet is still a challenge for Bev; she relies on food vouchers and there’s not much left over after rent, vehicle and business expenses. We wish Bev the best in all her endeavours, and hope she succeeds!