Mimi Beard - Trainee Accountant

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

My greatest achievement today is passing my level 1 AAT qualification whilst being homeless. During this period I had lost my accommodation and was placed into emergency housing for 3 months. I didn’t have any internet access or food facilities so I stayed at college until late in the evening each day to ensure I could access course materials and study. By passing my AAT qualification it led me into my journey to become a tax accountant which I am on now. 

What motivates you to do what you do?

In a somewhat ironic twist, being close to death has inspired me to make the most out of life. I have always been motivated to try and change my circumstances it wasn’t until Halloween 2017 when I overdosed and later came around in the Intensive Care Unit that I realised I needed to change my outlook. I can no longer actively destroy myself and now fight to ensure that should I die today I could look back and be proud of my life. 

What do you owe your mother?

This is a very complicated answer due to the premise of my childhood and circumstances. I suppose to be polite I can say that I owe a part of my resilience to her, as the situation with her growing up gave me a multitude of challenges I had to face to survive. 

Which women inspire you and why?

The women that inspired me in a woman very dear to my heart, Kate Gibson. She has shown strength despite her challenging health issues and has fought to keep positivity in her life. Kate welcomed me into her family during one of the darkest periods of my life and has stood by my side showing me that things will improve. I cannot express in words just how amazing this woman is. 

What are you reading?

Now that’s an amazing question! I’m such an avid reader so I’ve got a couple of books on the go. 

The main book I’m reading currently is 10 Minutes and 38 Seconds in this Strange World written by Elif Shafak. A book bought for me by Kate Gibson, mentioned above. It’s a haunting but beautiful story about a dying woman’s perception of life after her heart stops. 

I am also re-reading Bottom Billion by Paul Collier, an insightful and brilliantly researched book regarding the wealth disparity between 1st and 3rd world countries. Why the Bottom Billion have been trapped in poverty and how to go about changing this. 

The final book I’m currently reading is Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom. The book takes a deep and personal dive into Mandela’s life and the fight against apartheid. A must read. 

What gender barriers have you had to hurdle?

I believe the main time my gender impacted my life was when I was homeless or in supported accommodation as i was at a much greater risk of danger than my male counterparts. There were times I was absolutely terrified when homeless that anything could happen to me. 

How can the world be made a better place for women?

I think the best place is to start with showing compassion to one another. In an ideal world there would be no violence against women but I don’t have that power. It is, however, extremely important to educate men and young adults about consent and help support women coming forward about their experiences and finding a way to make the police procedures less traumatic for victims coming forward. 

Describe your perfect day?

If I could do anything I wanted, it would be to sit out in a field or woods in the sun with a great book and a blanket - away from people and disturbances and truly get lost in the story at my fingertips. 

We've noticed there really aren't many (if any) statues of women around Cornwall - who would you see remembered?

It would be great to have a statue of Rowena Cade - the Lamorna woman who not only designed but built the Minack theatre which is a beautiful area in which people flock to to experience breathtaking plays performed with a view. Not only did she build it but she was known to have lugged the granite to the construction site herself.

Give us a tip?

The only tip I can give it to ensure the work you do is at a brilliant quality and to keep reaching out to women. We will support you. 

About Mimi: Mimi is a young adult who grew up in poverty in Penzance, Cornwall. During her childhood, she faced a range of challenges, for abuse, chronic physical and mental illnesses and street homelessness. Despite all of this she fought to break out of the cyclical trap and threw herself into education. She studied her A levels while being homeless once again and achieved two As and a B in Psychology, Business, and Economics. With all of this, she risked everything by moving town and starting a professional accountancy job, despite her health and is now determined to help out others that have struggled with similar conditions.