Sign up to #GoTheDistance for detainees on 17th June 2019

Join BID's team on Monday 17th June for the London Legal Walk to #GoTheDistance for immigration detainees. 

We’re looking for volunteers to walk 130km between them, the distance between Brook House IRC and Yarl’s Wood IRC.  Each walker will pledge to walk the 10km to raise funds to provide free legal advice for people detained under immigration powers in the UK and to challenge immigration detention.

Why walk?

Prior to the legal aid cuts of 2012, which removed immigration matters from the scope of legal aid, BID’s legal advice survey showed that 59% of those held in immigration detention had a legal representative funded by legal aid. Our latest legal survey from December 2018 shows this figure has more than halved and now stands at just 28%.

The situation is worse still for those held in prisons under immigration powers, as there is no provision of immigration legal advice in prisons. Just 7 of the 40 people we spoke to who had been detained with the prison estate had received any immigration advice while in prison.

Why BID?

Last year BID supported 5,941 people to fight for their freedom. This included 167 parents separated from their 322 children and thousands of vulnerable adults including those with severe mental and physical health conditions and victims of torture, trafficking and sexual violence.

BID is a very small charity with no legal aid contract nor government funding. We are completely independent, powered by the generous support of like-minded people who care as much as we do about human rights. By joining our team to #GoTheDifference you can help us provide desperately-needed legal advice to people detained in removal centres and prisons across the UK.

What can I expect from the day?

Registration will open from 4pm - 7pm on Carey Street on Monday 17th June and walkers can choose on the day between the Parks Route and the River Route. A BID representative will greet you and supply you with maps and a drink token. The walk concludes with a street party on Carey Street with street food vendors, fire jugglers and musicians. Last year 13,000 people took park and LLST are expecting to break that record again this year!

How much would I need to fundraise?

Last year our walkers raised an incredible total of £2725.88! That worked out as about £227 each. We recommend you set a fundraising target of £200 and we'll provide plenty of support to help you exceed it!

How do I sign up?

There is no fee to register all you need to do is sign up through Eventbrite!

Sign up now

Any questions?

Our fundraising and communications coordinator Elisa would be delighted to hear from you. You can contact her by emailing [email protected].