Val is an accomplished development practitioner, with several years’ professional expertise in the women’s sector and social inclusion, both in the UK and the Solomon Islands. During her career, supporting women and girls to fulfil their potential, community development, youth work, campaigning, inclusion of vulnerable and hidden groups, and building the capacity of civil groups has been central to her work.
Val has worked extensively with women’s groups, rape crisis centres, women offenders, young people, people with learning difficulties and autism, the LGBTQ+ community and older survivors. Val coordinated several young women’s groups which resulted in the establishment of the Young Women’s Centre, Truro in partnership with the YWCA. Val was a founder member of the Cornwall Rape Helpline and Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Cornwall (now WCC).