Helen served in Special Operations Executive during World War Two, signing the official secrets act aged nineteen and receiving and sending coded messages to agents in the field.
It was meant to be closed in the 1980's, but Helen led the campaign to keep it open and, inspired by Jesus' love for the outcast, converted it into Europe's first AIDS hospital, in the face of strong opposition.
[4] With Lord Andrew Mawson and Adele Blakebrough, in 1995 Helen organised a meal for 33,000 people of a range of backgrounds to enjoy together.
Termed the 'Great Banquet', this prompted the formation of the Community Action Network in 1998, which continues to provide support for other charities.
[4] In 2000, Helen founded the charity 'Education Saves Lives', designed to education children in the developing world about health issues.