Marianne Edwins

Marianne Edwins' early life was a downward spiral of disasters: broken relationships, unplanned pregnancies, severe financial hardships and faithless men, in an environment of crime, violence and misogyny. Increasingly her life lacked hope, lacked peace, lacked love. Then one day, on an ordinary walk in the countryside with a friend, she had a sudden unfathomable encounter that transformed her life forever.

Soon Marianne would find herself setting up a ground-breaking charity to help the homeless, travelling across the world to show compassion to those in poverty and war-torn areas, and ultimately finding peace and closure in the most unexpected way.

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"Some of us may have to live a lifetime with the consequences of the mistakes we have made, temptations given into, the wrongs we have done to others, but Marianne's frank and honest account of her life gives us all hope for our release from the inhibiting sense of guilt. 

Sitting on a rock overlooking the sea and the rolling waves, she had a spiritual wake-up call and began to find the answer to the question we all ask: 'What is the meaning and purpose of my life?' For Marianne it was to show compassion in practical ways to those on the margin of society who have no voice to be heard. 

It was through her vision and drive that Action on Homelessness opened a drop-in centre in Trowbridge; and through her prayers and persuasion I was drawn into her plans to make it 'the best in the West!' How rewarding it was to see hopelessness turned to hope and to have shared with Marianne in bringing the vision to reality. But that was only the beginning of her ministry of care and compassion, which would take her to other cultures and far-flung places."

Richard Clarke
Chair (1990-2006), Action on Homelessness Trowbridge

"This is a story of love; of pain, heartbreak, struggles and hardship; of fun and excitement; of a life turned around in most unusual circumstances against all the odds.

A most compelling read, this truly remarkable story of an amazing life shows that we never know, when we meet people, what struggles they have come through; how our life experiences shape us for the next phase of our lives, if we are willing to learn from them."

Gina Watson

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Marianne Edwins started out in life as an ordinary young girl, born into a typical lower middle class family, but during her teens she entered over a decade of living a turbulent lifestyle. Following a chain of unwise decisions and the ensuing trauma, which would impact her for the rest of her life, she became a volunteer for the Probation Department, which led to her being offered the position of Manager for a pilot project in North Devon working with 'Heavy End' offenders. 

Some years later she established a charity offering frontline street access to those who were homeless, addicts, or suffering from mental health problems, in rural Wiltshire. From there her life journey took her to The West Bank, Palestine, then even farther afield to manage the Oasis coffee shop on the military base in The Falkland Islands. Returning to the UK she graduated from Bible College before becoming a pastor in a Methodist church in Essex and an Anglican church in West Sussex.  

Marianne now lives on the Dorset coast, with one of her sons, daughter-in-law and four grandchildren. Their three generational household is no less manic and busy, just different, and although health conditions cause her limitations, she adores engaging with people she encounters, family gatherings and one-on-one deep and meaningful conversations.