Client Success Stories: Meet Tara
- Mar 23
- 2 min read
We serve women from all walks of life, and their stories of resilience, strength and transformation never cease to amaze us. This series celebrates their successes and, this week, we’re recognising Tara, recipient of our 2026 Power of Women Circle of Success Award.
Tara came to us at a pivotal moment in her life. Having struggled with alcohol addiction, Tara describes the 5 years leading up to her first appointment as ‘chaotic’. During this time, she experienced homelessness and was still living in a hostel at the time of her referral.
Tara had been out of work for several years, having resigned from her job as a Personnel Manager at the Met Police due to challenges that she faced with alcohol. She entered rehabilitation three times before getting sober, and was referred to Dress for Success Greater London by her hostel worker. Tara explains,
When I attended the appointment, I was really surprised by the care; by how nice everybody was to me…the fact that the people who were helping me took the time and the care to really style me and dress me – it made me start to feel a little bit more human than I had done before. They made me feel beautiful. It was as if they could see something in me that, at that time in my life, I couldn’t see in myself. So, although I left that appointment with things in a bag, I actually left with a lot more than that, because I had a different sense in my heart about how I felt about myself just based on how I’d been treated.
After receiving interview clothing and one-to-one support from Dress for Success Greater London, Tara successfully gained employment, securing a HR manager role at a housing charity. Today, Tara works as a Head of Department at a housing association, where she continues to use her lived experience of homelessness to transform the lives of others. In that time, Tara has achieved a second Master’s Degree (in Employment Law), married, and become a homeowner with her partner. In her own words,
My life is just completely different now from how it was when I walked through the doors of Dress for Success; it’s completely transformed. Beforehand, I felt that I was unlovable, and that I wasn’t really part of society, and that living in a hostel reflected who I was and my position in life. To go from somebody who didn’t even feel part of society, to someone who’s married and is secure and stable, feels like a huge achievement.
We support many women who, like Tara, have lived experience of substance use disorder, and those who have experienced homelessness and housing vulnerability. Tara’s story is truly inspirational, and proof that transformational change is possible with the right support. We are so honoured to have been part of Tara’s story and send our warmest congratulations on her award. It is so well deserved. We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to Tara for allowing us to share her story, and for her openness in doing so.
Watch our interview with Tara below.