We are so proud of our team of staff and supporters who took part in the Hackney Half marathon over the last weekend. On Sunday 21st May, a team of runners successfully completed the Hackney Half marathon on behalf of Right to Remain!

This year marks the 10th year of our legendary resource- the Right to Remain Toolkit. To celebrate this milestone and safeguard its future, Right to Remain are taking part in a number of events; from nationwide Toolkit Festivals to the London Legal Walk. One of these activities included the annual Hackney Half marathon, where people run to fundraise for a cause close to their hearts. 

Our 9 fantastic runners meticulously trained for months to ensure they were able to take to the streets of Hackney. Although there was some rain during the course of the marathon, our runners persevered through the race, with beaming smiles on their faces! Runners included: Yumna and Esther from the Right to Remain staff team, Gabi, Catherine, Louis, Orla, Harriet and Simon. 

Lisa Matthews, who originally developed the Toolkit a decade ago, also took part in the race and was interviewed by local newspaper Hackney Citizen. Lisa tells them; “I think running under the slogan of ’No One Is Illegal’ is a really good way of showing that theres lots of people who don’t agree with whats happening”. 

Our Legal Education Officer, Yumna, was ready to take on the marathon, despite the challenge: “I’m not a runner or an athlete by any measure, but my faith in Right to Remain’s cause really did get me over the finish line.” Much like Lisa, Yumna was motivated by the cause “The support from those who have donated and those who cheered us on when they saw our ‘No One is Illegal’ slogan has absolutely floored me!”

Esther, our Engagement Officer, was also energised by supporters: “When I started to feel tired towards the end of the race, this is what kept me going. I’m so grateful to our 9 runners too – not only did they tread the 21.6km to support us, their friends and families donated so generously. The money raised is vital for the future of our organisation.” 

The Right to Remain team sincerely thanks all of our donors and allies for their support leading up to and during the marathon. Eiri Ohtani, our Director, says “For our community of people going through the hostile, Kafkaesque immigration and asylum system, Right to Remain’s Toolkit is often a lifeline.”

We are grateful that so many people ran for us and are supporting our work to build a world where everyone can live where they need to be with dignity.

The future of our Toolkit and Right to Remain relies on grants from charitable trusts, and donations from people like you. Your donation will help us to help people in their struggles for the right to remain in the Uk and to campaign for migration justice. 

So why not donate and share our fundraiser to congratulate our runners and help us support migrant communities?