Charlotte has worked at I Choose Freedom since 2009.
The organisation has changed significantly under her leadership. I Choose Freedom now has three refuges and notably the most recent refuge, which accommodates 19 families, was opened during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Charlotte is a survivor of domestic abuse. Her ex-husband was imprisoned in 2011 for violent offences he perpetrated against her and other women.
Running refuges and being a survivor gives Charlotte a unique insight into the challenges women and children fleeing abuse face. As well as the direct work with women and children, she is known for campaigning nationally and internationally for the rights of victims of domestic abuse.
She was a keynote speaker in 2020 at the OECD inaugural Violence Against Women and Girls Conference in Paris where she had the opportunity to educate Government Ministers from countries across the world.
She has appeared on most mainstream media in the UK and has been broadcast in Japan, USA, Canada, and other countries in her mission to educate people about domestic abuse.
In 2021 Charlotte received the honour of being appointed Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in recognition of her work in the county. And then, in 2022, Charlotte was awarded an MBE in the Jubilee Honours list for her work with survivors of domestic abuse.
Charlotte’s priority and mission is to ensure that all survivors fleeing abuse can access a refuge space and to secure the national network of refuges.
Charlotte can be followed on Twitter at @C_kneer