The Why Event

18/03/2026

What a powerful and eventful day yesterday was ✨

The morning started with and myself, being invited by Sharon, who previously came along to support our Christmas special , to visit the incredible team at Anawim.

I’ve always been curious about the inner workings of organisations like this, so it was truly eye-opening to spend time there alongside our WHY Event poet, Jada Kiss. The work they do is so much deeper than I ever imagined , they play such an integral role in supporting women within the community.

The welcome we received was beautiful — from both the staff and the service users. There was such a genuine sense of care, safety and community. And yes… we even got involved in a mendi session, which was a lovely moment to pause, connect and just be.

From there, I rushed over to the Birmingham Council House for the Protecting Women and Girls from Harm event. The room was filled with inspiring, passionate practitioners, all doing important work in their own ways to create change and make a difference. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many people committed to the same mission, and I made some really valuable connections.

After that, I took a moment for some much-needed self-care before heading straight to my community radio talk show with my co-host , rounding off what was a busy but incredibly fulfilling day.

Days like this remind me why we do what we do.
Connection. Community. Impact.

08/03/2026

Today we recognise International Women’s Day , a moment to celebrate the strength, resilience and achievements of women across the world.

For me, it is also a reminder of why The WHY Event exists.

The WHY Event was created from lived experience and a desire to bring honest conversations around domestic abuse into spaces where learning, understanding and empathy can grow. Through drama, spoken word, music and survivor storytelling, we create immersive experiences that help people truly understand the realities many women face behind closed doors.

But this work is not done alone.

Behind The WHY Event is a passionate team of creatives, performers, facilitators and advocates who believe in the power of storytelling to inspire change. Together we create spaces where voices can be heard, perspectives can shift, and conversations that are often difficult ,but necessary. can take place.

On this International Women’s Day, I want to recognise not only the survivors who bravely share their stories, but also the team who stand beside me in bringing this work to life.

Because awareness leads to understanding, and understanding helps create safer communities for everyone.

06/03/2026

The WHY Event – Real Impact with Students

A couple of weeks ago, The WHY Event had the privilege of speaking with students in Loughborough, alongside the wonderful Lucinda, sharing lived experiences and opening honest conversations around domestic abuse and healthy relationships.

What makes The WHY Event different is that we don’t deliver a traditional lecture.
We create an immersive experience through drama, spoken word, music and survivor-led storytelling, allowing students to connect emotionally with the realities behind the statistics.

The feedback from students speaks for itself.

Students described the session as:
“Very informative.”
“Eye opening.”
“Brave and inspiring.”
“Thought-provoking.”
“Really helpful for the future.”
“Personal experiences really helped explain the topic.”

Young people are navigating relationships, identity and independence at a crucial stage in their lives. The WHY Event helps students:

• Understand healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviours
• Recognise early warning signs of abuse and coercive control
• Build empathy, awareness and confidence to support others
• Develop knowledge that will support them personally and professionally

Because our programme is immersive and survivor-led, the experience stays with audiences long after the session ends — creating a deeper, longer-lasting impact than traditional awareness training.

We are currently working with colleges, universities and organisations who want to support their students in developing healthier relationships and stronger safeguarding awareness.

If you would like to bring The WHY Event to your students or organisation, we would love to hear from you.

📩 Email: [email protected]
📞 Tel: 07967 434741
📲 Instagram:

20/12/2025

✨ One week on… and we’re still feeling the impact ✨

What an unforgettable night at The WHY Event – Christmas Special 💜
A room filled with honesty, courage, creativity and connection.

Huge thank you to every single performer who poured their heart onto that stage — your stories, voices and talent moved us all. This is what happens when survivors stand in their power and turn pain into purpose.

Thank you to our incredible guest speaker Natalie Queiroz MBE, Victims’ Advocate for the West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner, for your powerful words and continued advocacy.
We were also honoured to be joined by Simon Foster, West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner, and Richard Port MBE — your presence and support truly mattered.

Massive thanks to our sponsor Keith Shaw – Care Never Sleeps Birmingham Ltd, and to everyone who came, listened, felt, supported and stood with us.

This is why we do it.
This is how change starts.
And this is only the beginning.

💜 Change

Keith Shaw
Natalie Queiroz MBE
Richard Port MBE
West Midlands Police
Lucinda Glenny

14/12/2025

✨ What an incredible, powerful night last night ✨

The WHY Event once again delivered a deeply moving and impactful evening. Every single performer brought truth, courage and heart to the stage, creating moments that will stay with us all for a long time.

Thank you to the entire WHY Event team for delivering outstanding performances throughout the night — I am so proud of each and every one of you.

A special thank you to Natalie Queiroz MBE, Victims’ Advocate for the Police & Crime Commissioner, for sharing her voice and standing with survivors.
Thank you also to Richard Port MBE — it was a pleasure to meet you and an honour to have you with us.
And to have our West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner in the room was truly a privilege.

Last night was about seeing women stand in their power, showing that there is hope at the end of the tunnel. That what happened was not their fault, and that their story can become their strength.

To everyone who performed — your courage is inspiring. To everyone who attended — thank you for holding the space with us.

And finally, our heartfelt thanks to Keith Shaw of Care Never Sleeps for sponsoring last night’s performance. Your support means more than words can say.

From all of us at The WHY Event — thank you 🤍

10/12/2025

✨ We are pleased to announce that Anawim will be supporting us on the night of The WHY Event. ✨

Anawim — Birmingham’s Centre for Women — will be on hand should anyone feel affected by the themes explored throughout the show. Their team provides gender-informed and trauma-responsive wraparound support, helping women reach their full potential.

They work with over 2,000 women across Birmingham every year, offering vital services including:
• Advocacy
• Counselling
• Crisis intervention
• Holistic support
• Long-term specialist guidance
• Practical resources for women in need

We are deeply grateful to have their presence at the event, ensuring a safe and supportive space for all.

📍 The WHY Event
🗓 Saturday 13th December
📍 Midlands Arts Centre (MAC), Birmingham
Featuring powerful stories, performances, and an inspiring keynote from Natalie Queiroz.

We look forward to welcoming you to an evening of empowerment, awareness, and community.

Tickets available now via MAC Birmingham and Eventbrite. 💜

https://anawim.co.uk/



SimonFoster
RichardPort
TheWhyEvent

08/12/2025

✨ Just a few days to go until The WHY Event – Christmas Special! ✨

📍 Where: Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
📅 When: Saturday 13th December
⏰ Time: 7:30pm – 10:30pm

We’re honoured to announce that we will be joined on the night by:
⭐ West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner Simon Foster
⭐ Richard Port MBE
⭐ Our special guest speaker – Natalie Queiroz MBE, Victims’ Advocate for West Midlands Police

This powerful evening of drama, spoken word, dance, music and real survivor stories explores the question so many ask: “Why did you stay?”

🎟️ There are only a few tickets left!
Get yours now via the MAC box office:
https://macbirmingham.co.uk/events/the-why-event

08/12/2025

✨ Just a few days to go until The WHY Event – Christmas Special! ✨

📍 Where: Midlands Arts Centre (MAC)
📅 When: Saturday 13th December
⏰ Time: 7:30pm – 10:30pm

We’re honoured to announce that we will be joined on the night by:
⭐ West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner Simon Foster
⭐ Richard Port MBE
⭐ Our special guest speaker – Natalie Queiroz MBE, Victims’ Advocate for West Midlands Police

This powerful evening of drama, spoken word, dance, music and real survivor stories explores the question so many ask: “Why did you stay?”

🎟️ There are only a few tickets left!
Get yours now via the MAC box office:

The Why Event, created by Charmaine Quailey, began as a vision to give survivors of domestic abuse a voice through art. What started as a small community p

05/11/2025

✨ The Why Event – Christmas Special ✨

We’re thrilled to announce that The Why Event will be coming to the Midlands Arts Centre on Friday 13th December, 7:30–10:30PM — a powerful evening answering “why they stay” through drama, dance, spoken word and song.

We’re honoured to welcome our special guest speaker, victims’ advocate Natalie Queiroz MBE, who will be sharing her extraordinary story of survival, courage and hope.

🎟️ Get Your Tickets https://macbirmingham.co.uk/events/the-why-event….. Tickets are expected to go fast!

This Christmas special wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of our sponsors Care Never Sleeps, whose commitment to raising awareness and driving change has helped bring this important event to life.

Join us for an unforgettable evening that inspires understanding, empathy and action. 💜

02/10/2025

🎭 The Why Event – Casting Call 🎭

Have you been impacted by domestic abuse?
We’re inviting actors, dancers, spoken word artists, and singers to take part in a powerful production that explores one of the most important questions:

✨ “Why did you stay?” ✨

If you’d like to share your story through your art form and be part of a creative, transformative event, we’d love to hear from you.

📩 DM with your area of interest to get involved.