SOPHIE ANDREWS

Chair of the Samaritans

Website - www.sophieandrews.co.uk

Sophie Andrews has had a long journey to her current position as National Chair of Samaritans – a charity which she turned to during her darkest moments.

A phenomenally courageous woman, Sophie’s story is one of triumph over extreme adversity. Her story is harrowing yet compelling, and a truly inspirational account of overcoming the worst possible start in life.  Sophie sees herself as a survivor and not a victim and she speaks with honesty and conviction about how she overcame adversity and turned her life around.

SPEAKING TOPICS

• Overcoming Adversity
  
• The Power of the Human Spirit
• The Importance of Listening to Others
• Finding the Courage to Change Things for the Better
• Belief in Yourself
  
  
  

ABOUT SOPHIE ANDREWS

Growing up, Sophie carried a terrible secret. At just a few months old she was adopted by a couple that seemed comfortably off and perfectly respectable to the outside world. But behind closed doors, Sophie's childhood was a living hell.

Her father spent the next decade grooming her for horrific abuse and when Sophie's mother left for good, that very night, he told Sophie that from now on she would sleep in his bed Unable to cope, Sophie sank into suicidal misery and despair.

At risk from being killed by her father, or killing herself…she ended up being hospitalized at sixteen. It was here with the safety and support of  health professionals that she finally confronted the horrors of home and began the painful journey of rebuilding her life.

Sophie wrote a series of diaries and poems and pieced her life together in a book that she initially wrote for herself.  “Scarred”  was subsequently published by Hodder in 2008 and reached the Sunday Times Top 10 for Non fiction in the same year.

She has been able to rebuild her life and is now the National Chair of Samaritans, and also Head of Volunteering at the NSPCC . Sophie is now invited to speak at events across the UK and Internationally and is now writing a second book.

Sophie’s story is compelling and at times harrowing, but she is able to show the real strength of the human spirit to overcome the worst of times. Sophie will demonstrate how she was able to turn her life around and will take you on a life journey that will be hard to forget.

TESTIMONIALS 

"We as a group thoroughly enjoyed and were intrigued by Sophie's story. She was very professional and informative, it was lovely to see and hear about a real life success story." - MET POLICE, NOV 08

"Very Emotive. I feel Sophie is a very wonderful person and is an inspiration to how even the dreadful things life throws at you - you can survive. SAMARATIANS York Conference 08