Duchess of Sussex pays a visit to McAuley House

On Tuesday 14 April, McAuley welcomed Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Micaela Cronin, Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commissioner, to McAuley House Footscray.

The Duchess assisted McAuley CEO, Jocelyn Bignold OAM, and McAuley Food for Life Facilitator, Jessica Ridley, with the lunch service – an experience that sits at the heart of McAuley’s community model. The Duchess spent time speaking to the residents directly, hearing first-hand about some of their experiences.

McAuley Ambassador, Diana Connell, also shared her experience of homelessness and family violence and the gaps she faced when seeking help.

During a tour of the House, which offers accommodation and support for women experiencing homelessness, McAuley CEO, Jocelyn Bignold OAM, and the Duchess discussed some of the systemic barriers for women and children.

The visit provided an opportunity to share some of the initiatives McAuley is leading to address these barriers, including the Safe at Home trial, which aims to prevent homelessness by enabling women and children to remain safely in their homes while support services work to actively disrupt the violence.

McAuley CEO, Jocelyn Bignold OAM, said, “It was wonderful to have the Duchess visit McAuley House.

“She spent time making meaningful connections with the women living there, listening to their experiences and learning more about their living space. It brought a lot of joy to the residents who attended.

“We appreciate the attention the Duchess’s visit is bringing to the issues of homelessness and family violence, and we’re grateful for the opportunity to spotlight some of our work.”