Eight to run Hackney Half in support of BID
Our amazing Hackney Half team share their reasons for running in support of BID.
Eight runners have decided to take on the Hackney Half Marathon on 19th of May 2019 in support of BID. Together they are hoping to raise over £2,000, which would be enough to power our advice line for two whole months.
The Hackney Half Marathon returns between May 17-19 as an upgraded three-day ‘Festival of Fitness’ with live entertainment, markets, fitness activities and classes on the Hackney Marshes. This is the first year BID has been a charity partner and we are delighted to have eight people running for us.
Adam is the Legal Manager of our Right to Liberty project which represent clients who are unable to represent themselves including victims of torture, trafficking or detainees with mental or physical health problems. He will be running the 13.1 miles in support of BID’s work and said:
“In my youth I was an active runner but as my wife will attest, I am no longer the athlete I once was. I see the Hackney Half as the perfect opportunity to get back pounding the pavements, to raise money for a great cause and maybe stop the creeping onset of middle-age-spread at the same time.
“It’s fab to have to have such an exciting event on our doorstep and I am really looking forward to finishing.”
Abdullah, who has been volunteering with BID for almost a year, is joining Adam for this year’s Hackney Half. Abdullah, a native Arabic speaker, has been supporting clients; translating our resources and doing policy work for our Human Trafficking project. He said:
“I like running and I wanted to take on the challenge. But what got me more excited about the idea of running, was doing so to raise money for a small and great charity. I absolutely love BID, and really respect its work so I know it’s for a great cause”
Adam also stressed the importance of fundraising for a charity whose impact in people’s lives is many times greater than its size.
“I see first-hand what a massive difference our services make to those detained in immigration centres across the UK every day. As a small charity, I know all funds raised go straight to the services that provide help to those deprived of their liberty for racist, administrative purposes.”
South Londoners Millie, Shianne and Fay have decided to venture north of the river to run together and have already risen over £750 for BID’s work. Shianne commented:
"I’m running the Hackney Half for BID because the charity is doing great work fighting the injustice faced by marginalised people. BID speaks volumes to the direction in which I hope the UK will move towards: A place where migrants and refugees who have who have fled their homes countries for safety and protection are treated humanely and with compassion.
“I am looking forward to pushing myself during the half marathon and running for a charity whose work and activism speaks to me and my morals.”
Millie added: “BID is doing really important work for people who have been detained or imprisoned for no legitimate reason. This is inhuman and goes against basic human rights. There isn't enough exposure in the media and many people are unaware of the immoral way the UK is treating immigrants. BID treats everyone with kindness and empathy, our country as a whole could learn a lot from the morals behind this charity.
“I am excited about running the half marathon, although I am also really scared it's going to take me forever! BID will motivate me I'm sure!”
Commenting on how they managed to hit their fundraising target so quickly Fay said:
“I recommend targeting people around pay day. I sent people personal messages so they didn’t feel pestered. People have been following the Windrush scandal so have an understanding of the kinds of injustice people are facing and were really receptive to the cause!”
Sponsor Millie, Fay and Shianne
Caterina, a solicitor at Wilsons, is also putting her best foot forward to run and raise money for BID. When we asked her why she said:
“I started running a couple of years ago and never looked back. Everyone at Wilsons, where I work as an Asylum and Immigration lawyer, is a keen runner and I got dragged into the running mania; running the Hackney half was an obligatory step of the Wilsons runners training.
“I have decided to permanently leave the UK (partly because of the Brexit disaster), so before leaving I wanted to do something to combine my two passions: running and social justice. In my job, I work very closely with immigrants, refugees, children and trafficking victims that every day spend time in a prison-like detention centres in the UK. I see the awful impact that detention has on the most vulnerable of society and the work that BID carries out for these people is so fundamental. Indefinite immigration detention is a stain on democracy and BID is there to help who is struggling to survive this awful practice. Deciding to fundraise for them was easy!”
Sponsor Caterina
We’ll be at the event on the day cheering our team on, so if you fancy joining our cheer squad email [email protected].
