Alexandra Harley MRSS, pictured above at the opening of the 2023 Christmas Party at Dora House, joined the Society in 2001 and she has shared this moving testimonial with us:
For sometime after I had received my letter of membership acceptance I had huge impostor syndrome. I was convinced that if I turned up, I would be told I had been sent the wrong letter. How wrong I was. At my first visit, I was met at the door by Ann the then director who came across the room and greeted me by name. I have no idea how she knew this and I clearly had been sent the right letter!
Years later I was going through some extremely difficult personal circumstances and I took a Christmas job with Marks and Spencer's. I was really wondering if I would ever be able to make sculpture again and things were financially dire. The Christmas party at Dora House was on my way home after work. I was in standard black and white, hardly Christmas party wear! I wasn't feeling great either but I made myself turn up. The Society and all the members there had no idea what was going on in my life but as soon as I came through the door, I knew I was 'home' ; it was the best thing I could have done that evening. It gave me the strength to make sure I did carry on making and I came away buoyed up by the enthusiasm and interest and stories of the others there. For that, I am forever grateful, that one evening was so special for me, thank you all!
Ahead of the Year of the Home in 2026 when we celebrate the Society's 50 years at Dora House, we asked members to share with us their personal memories of Dora House. We will be sharing them throughout 2026 as part of a programme of this milestone, marked also by the delivery of our project Creating a Home for Sculptors.
If you have a memory you would like to share, you can still do so via this link.
