We were very sad to hear of the news of the passing of our founding board member and CSJ Lifetime award winner, Noreen Oliver MBE.
Noreen was an incredible woman- using her own experiences in life to change and save so many others. As the driving force behind the BAC O’Connor Centers, she provided sanctuary and healing for those grappling with addiction. The O’Connor Gateway Charity, under her visionary leadership, became a beacon of hope, extending support to vulnerable individuals, fostering resilience and renewal. Thousands of lives are here because of her.
Her commitment to social justice resonated profoundly through her tenure on our board at the Centre for Social Justice. Noreen’s strategic insights and tireless advocacy amplified the voices of the marginalised, helping us to shape policies that aimed at systemic transformation. She refused to stop believing that people could move on into their full potential from addictions, and fiercely fought the failed maintenance culture calling for more availability of rehabilitation at a local and national level.
Her legacy is powerful, and we at the CSJ won’t stop what she started- seeing people as potential to be developed rather than problems to be solved.
We will miss her.
RIP Noreen Oliver MBE