"my story" - Forged in fire and flame
by Becky Chadburn
Chapter 1: Who I Am
I am a multi-faceted professional who has transformed a lifetime of personal adversity into a powerful force for global change. As a survivor of domestic abuse, my journey has fueled an unwavering commitment to empowering others. This isn't just a job for me; it is my life's mission.
I am the visionary founder and CEO of Guardian Angel, a privacy-first mobile application designed to provide survivors with a comprehensive digital tool for safety, evidence management, and wellness. Born from my own desperate need for a tool that didn't exist, Guardian Angel is built on a "zero-knowledge" privacy principle, ensuring a secure space for users to store sensitive information and access vital resources. My first-hand experience of navigating a fragmented and re-traumatizing support system is the bedrock upon which every feature is designed.
Beyond my work in technology, I am a gifted artist and author. In 2022, I published my book "Let Me Speak!" and transformed my story into a stage performance, using art as a vehicle for healing and advocacy. My creativity extends to the realm of music, where I have innovatively used AI to turn my powerful poetry into Hip-Hop/Rap songs that are now available on major global platforms like Apple Music, YouTube Music, and Amazon Music.
My career is characterized by relentless self-improvement and a dedication to acquiring new skills. From Health & Social Care qualifications to becoming a certified IDAS Champion and teaching myself law to navigate the court system, my educational path has been as diverse as it has been practical. Most recently, I completed a Creative Industries course, adding web design, IT skills, and coding to my repertoire, all to better serve the mission of Guardian Angel.
With a global vision for creating safe spaces and a growing platform that includes a live website, a mobile app, a book, and music, I am building a powerful ecosystem to reach and support those who need it most. My journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, creativity, technology, and the unbreakable human spirit.
"I am not what happened to me. I am what I choose to become. My journey is a testament to the transformative power of resilience, creativity, technology, and the unbreakable human spirit."
Chapter 2: The Fire
To understand Guardian Angel, you have to understand the reality it was born from. The following are public news reports detailing part of my story. They are a stark reminder of how the system can fail to protect, and why a tool that empowers the survivor is not just helpful, but essential.
Stalker made life 'hell' for ex-partner and harassed her friend (Nottingham Crown Court, July 2022)
A stalker made his former partner's life "hell" as he set up fake TikTok accounts and bombarded her with emails, including a picture of himself with a noose around his neck. Darryl Horn-Hooper's alarming campaign began on Christmas Eve, 2021, after she left him, Nottingham Crown Court heard on Monday, July 11.
She moved to a women's refuge but Horn-Hooper sent her 26 voicemails and 200 emails, made comments on her online blog and personal comments on her Facebook account. "She described how the messages made her feel unhappy, and like she was, 'cracking up'," explained Lauren Fisher, prosecuting.
Horn-Hooper would not stop calling her on a withheld number and continued sending emails - to the tune of 32 emails from 11.20am and 10.20pm in just one day. And he threatened to kill himself in a TikTok video he sent to her in an email. He set up fake TikTok accounts without her permission. She even believed he had hacked her emails and social media.
He sent an email of himself standing with a noose around his neck, with the chilling words: "I hope you are happy?"
When she attended a counselling session, she spotted the defendant's car outside the building and called 999. She saw him bring his left hand to his neck as he made a slashing motion and he pointed at the boot of his car.
Her statement revealed she feels completely alone, and mentally and physically unwell. "I feel I am going crazy," she added. He already has five convictions for five offences - two which the court heard were relevant because they were for offences of harassment and breaching a non-molestation order.
Judge James Sampson labelled his behaviour towards the victims as "disgraceful, persistent and nasty". "It has caused extreme emotional distress. She (his former partner) has spoken of suicide, serious anxiety, and it has affected her eating and sleeping, and describes you as, 'having made her life hell'," said the judge.
The judge also accounted for Horn-Hooper being in custody since January 2022, which means he has served the equivalent of a ten to 12 month sentence already. This would mean he would be released without a package of supervision. The judge, therefore, decided the sentence should be 14 months, suspended for 12 months, and added a "building better relationships programme" with a minimum of 30 sessions and 35 rehabilitation activity days. A restraining order was made to ban contact with both victims for five years.
Worksop man who contacted ex-partner within fortnight of stalking sentence is locked up (Nottingham Crown Court, June 2023)
A Worksop man who contacted his ex-partner within a fortnight of being sentenced for stalking her has been locked up, a court has heard. Prosecutor Stuart Lody described Darryl Horn-Hooper as "someone who doesn't appear to understand the word 'no'."
He contacted the woman shortly after receiving a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for 21 months, at Nottingham Crown Court in July last year. His victim read out a statement detailing the impact his emotional abuse had on her, which “caused my life to spiral out of control”.
“I was phoning crisis lines just to say alive,” she said. “He made me feel dead. I wasn't in control of my own life.”
This outcome is why Guardian Angel exists. When the system delivers a suspended sentence for making someone's life "hell," the tools for safety cannot be left in the hands of that system alone. They must be in the hands of the survivor. That is my way.
Chapter 3: The Founder's Journal (Reflections from the Fire)
On the Edge of Giving Up (July 25, 2025)
Today, I felt done. The frustration of being told "no" again and again, of being sent in circles by the very systems that should be helping, it's enough to break anyone. But then I have to remember: This feeling is why Guardian Angel must exist. This isn't just my fight; it's the fight of every person who has ever felt unheard or unsupported. This project is the answer to that despair. So, I won't quit. Not today.
Blocked, But Not Broken (July 24, 2025)
Feeling completely blocked at every turn today. It feels like every door I try to open gets slammed shut. It's more than just frustrating; it's demoralizing. But this feeling... this is exactly why Guardian Angel has to exist. I'm experiencing the very system I'm trying to fix for others. Every closed door just reinforces the need to build a new one.
A Strategic Re-frame: The Power Dynamic Has Changed (July 22, 2025)
Just got off the phone. I have an interview at a care home. At first, I was hesitant—is this a step back from the mission? But I've reframed it. This isn't giving up; it's a strategic move. This job provides the stability I need to continue building Guardian Angel without the pressure of a broken system. I'm not being forced into work; I'm choosing a path that funds my independence and, ultimately, the future of this company. I am in control.
My 'Why' Reaffirmed (August 1, 2025)
Giving my statement made me feel lighter, but I think my survival instincts are kicking in. Focusing on Guardian Angel and being the support for other women takes its toll, but I know I've already dealt with one knob head. I'm pretty sure I can handle one more. Protecting others is exactly what this is all about.
Chapter 4: My Poetry (Speaking in a World That Doesn't Listen)
"I used my experiences to create poetry, spoken word and advocated through my poetry because it was my way to healing and finding comfort in my identity as an artist. I used my poetry as a way to speak in a world that doesn't listen."
The War At Home
A war is not just fought on fields of green,\nBut in the quiet spaces, unheard, unseen.\nA battle for the sovereignty of self,\nA treasured soul, left on a dusty shelf.
Silent Scream
I was killing silently, I screamed into the inner me. I spent my life fixing the shit everyone did to me. They took away my innocence. If killing someone on the inside was a crime, you'd be serving life.
You Didn't Help Me Then
Why won't anyone listen to me\nYou didn't listen to me when I was stuck in abuse \nBegging pleading please help \nBut all I got met with is no helpline \n...So I carry the shame that was never mine to carry \nI held on because I dreamed of a world were everybody is protected \nWhere they are listened too \nThey are believed \nThey are heard \nThey are seen \nSincerely the dead person you failed to help! When you see my dead body on the news don't say I didn't warn you.
Someone Some Day Will Tell My Story
It's occured to me while staring at the ceiling for six hours, while everyone else sleeps, I've been stuck in darkness... \nbut right there in this falling phaze, I learnt the most important lesson, I must work hard to make a real difference... \nBecause some one some day will tell my story so one some day will speak of my legacy. Someone some day will speak of the Guardian Angel who stood as the global defender, that's the day she realised she was more than just a founder. She was and is the international protector.
Chapter 5: My Music (The Lifeline)
"Music became my outlet from all the pain and confusion while going through and experiencing domestic violence. It became my lifeline; it was a direct source of the pain that gave me my creativity."
Album: Please leave (2024)
An album exploring the journey of leaving and finding strength. I used AI to help me bring my poetry to life, transforming written words into fully-produced Hip-Hop and Rap tracks.
Tracks: Please leave, Duet mental health ward explicit, Women unknown, Not supported, Flames ignite, Attacked from all sides, Expendable (Radio Edit), The aftermath, Expendable remix (Remix).
Single: Everything Changed (2024)
A single about the pivotal moments of transformation.
Chapter 6: Mum's Kitchen (Comfort & Nourishment)
"If in doubt add lemon juice"
Mum's Vegetable Soup
A hearty and comforting vegetable soup. Simple to make and full of goodness. Saute onion and garlic, add chopped vegetables, cover with stock, add a bay leaf, and simmer until tender. Stir in creme fraîche and season. Enjoy with crusty bread.
So Simple Tasty Green Beans
A quick, simple, and delicious green bean dish. Steam green beans, then toss with toasted pine nuts, goats cheese, a touch of raw garlic, finely chopped mint, and a drizzle of olive oil and lemon juice.
Proper Cheesy Beans on Toast
The ultimate British comfort food. It's more than a meal; it's a hug in a bowl. Toast thick bread, butter generously, heat beans with a splash of Worcestershire sauce, pour over toast, and top with a generous handful of grated mature cheddar.