A message from Sandie

Hello everyone, my name is Sandie and I’m the co-founder of Soul Shine Collective CIC.

Banana and I came together through a shared vision — one rooted in connection, not hierarchy. We dreamed of creating spaces grounded in humanity, love, acceptance, and authenticity, where people feel they belong. Not because they’ve proved themselves, but because they’re human.

I come to this work through lived experience — childhood trauma, early parenting, and a long road through addiction. My journey took me through dysfunctional relationships and DV, hospital admissions, community drug and alcohol services, detox’s, police cells, and eventually homelessness. So when I say I’ve walked it, I mean it.

I’ve also worked on the other side — within drug and alcohol services — and what I saw deeply troubled me. I was told to keep "professional boundaries," but it never sat right with me. Because what helped me heal wasn’t someone telling me what to do — it was someone showing me their humanity. It was when professionals let down the guard a little, shared their truth, and connected with mine, that I started to believe I could recover too.

That’s what Soul Shine Collective is about. Banana and I believe in meeting people with honesty, openness, and courage — because we know that real connection fosters real healing. And when people feel safe and seen, that's when the spark returns.

Everyone has a light inside, even if it’s dimmed or buried. Our mission is to help people find that light again — to tend to it gently, to fan it into a flame, until it burns bright. We want people to feel alive, connected, and free — not just to themselves, but to each other, to their communities, and to the wider world.

Let’s all shine together.

With love and solidarity,

Sandie ❤️