About

We (Sam and Hannah) both work for the wonderful charity Belong: Making Justice Happen! In June, we will be running a mile and hour, every hour, for 24 hours. That’s 24 miles, in 24 hours, to raise money for Belong. Yes, we know… it would DEFINITELY be easier to run them all at once- but somehow we decided a traditional running challenge was too.. well, traditional!

WHO ARE BELONG?

Belong provides hope, rehabilitation and recovery for people who have committed or been victims of crime. We deliver restorative justice, mentoring, and creative psychotherapy interventions in young offenders’ institutions, prisons and in the community. We concentrate on working with those that are hardest to reach, and support some of the most marginalised individuals in society. Find out more about us here: https://belongmakingjusticehappen.co.uk/.

WHAT ARE WE RAISING MONEY FOR?

This year at Belong, we are hoping to pilot a project we have worked really hard on designing and developing, called Amplify. Amplify has been developed as a result of 10 years of collaboration with our service users. The project works with young women from Black, Asian and Minority backgrounds in contact with the Criminal Justice System, providing holistic, culturally sensitive, and intersectional support. We've been raising money for Amplify through grants and foundations for the past year or so, and we are a little short of our target. We decided to take it over the line - or as close as we can- with some of our own fundraising efforts. Your support can help us to make this project a reality.

WHY?

The outcomes for people from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds who come into contact with the criminal justice system are bleak. Despite making up just 14% of the population, over 49% young people in custody are from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. They are more likely to have experienced traumatic experiences such as remand, assault by other prisoners, and use of spit hoods and tasers during contact with the system.

Women from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic backgrounds are over twice as likely as women from White backgrounds to be arrested (Counted Out, Prison Reform Trust, 2014). Black women are also more likely than other women to be remanded or sentenced to custody and are 25% more likely than white women to receive a prison sentence following a conviction, and are disproportionately represented in our prison populations.

Something has to change.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Donate- no matter how small! Your donation will directly work to tackle racialised trauma and disproportionality in the criminal justice system.

Sam and I are running our miles remotely, both from our homes- if you want to run with us, for a few miles, or fundraise for yourself, then let us know!

We are SO grateful for your support. Please share widely.

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