Lisa King OBE

CEO, Dreams Come True

After a career in women’s refuge, Lisa now challenges social injustice, through the lens of poverty and social deprivation

My professional life started in the world of PR – I had no intention of working in the charity sector, but when my career path changed 20 years ago, I never looked back; it has been a life-changing, life-affirming experience that has been a rock of support – professionally and personally.

I worked at Refuge, national domestic abuse charity, for 18 years. I fell into the job following a pro bono media campaign I delivered when working at Good Relations, Chime Communications Group.

I quickly became very passionate about Refuge’s work. When I first learnt about the epidemic that is violence against women, I didn’t believe the numbers I was told. I was blinkered and naïve. However, I soon learnt the horrific figures were just the tip of the hidden iceberg. I spent the following near two decades raising awareness, raising funds and working to change policy. When I started at Refuge it was a small, less well-known charity – by time I left the charity had become a household name, supporting thousands of abused women and children.

In 2022, I changed my professional pathway. I reviewed my personal and professional values and found a way to blend them all. Working for Dreams Come True gives me an opportunity to combine my passion for challenging social injustice, this time through the lens of poverty and social deprivation, alongside my passion for improving the lives of children and young people who have it tough.

My second child Tom is autistic, and has global development delay. He attends a special educational needs school in Brighton. I have seen first-hand how much support children need, which is why when the opportunity to be chief executive for Dreams Come True arose, I went for it.

I’m nine months in post and am passionate about ensuring we reach yet more children who need our support – whether that is a child who is non-verbal and has severe mobility issues to receive an eye gaze operated computer to enable them to communicate, or providing a bed in school for a child who is bed-bound so they can access education and leave the confines of their bedroom. www.dreamscometrue.uk.com

As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, more and more children and young people will need our charity, and I want to be ready for us to provide that support. To date, Dreams Come True hasn’t had a footprint in the Sussex region – even though there is much need for so many children. I hope that individuals and business leaders in Sussex reading this article, and the Dreams Come True profi le in this same edition, will reach out to lend their support, connect with me and together build opportunities.

We need more dream makers to join us and make dreams come true for some of the most in need and socially deprived children in our county – because it’s never been needed more than it is right now in our country today.

Spring has sprung, daffodils line our borders and hedgerows have awakened from their winter slumber, but our immune systems still seem to be highly vulnerable to every cough, cold and virus as if we were still in the depths of December. Is it possible to ‘boost’ your immune system to prevent catching all these pesky viruses?

By TANYA BOROWSKI