Freedom Charity’s Bishopsgate Institute Event
Are you interested in making a difference in the world?
Do you love art and believe in its power to change lives?
Freedom Charity
Before we dive into Freedom Charity’s Bishopsgate Institute event, let’s talk in brief about what Freedom Charity is and what it does. Freedom Charity is a UK-based organisation that works to prevent forced marriage and other forms of dishonour-based violence. Lord Toby Harris and Aneeta Prem founded the charity in 2010.
Freedom Charity provides education and support to young people who may be at risk of forced marriage or other forms of dishonour-based violence. They also work to raise awareness about these issues and advocate for change in laws and policies to better protect vulnerable individuals.
The Event: Freedom’s Celebration of Art and Activism
On the day of the event, the Bishopsgate Institute was buzzing with excitement and energy. People of all ages and backgrounds came together to celebrate the power of art and activism to effect change.
Aneeta Prem MBE chaired the event, who gave a moving speech about the importance of Freedom Charity’s work. She introduced a number of artists who had been inspired by the charity’s mission, including Kate Nash and Guts Gallery‘s Ellie.
Artists donated a portion or all of the sales from their exhibition to Freedom Charity. Freedom Charity can use these donations to continue its important work supporting education. Unsurprisingly, they further prevention efforts around forced marriage and other forms of dishonour-based violence.
“As someone who loves art, I was blown away by the exhibition that was on display at the Freedom event. The work that Ellie and Kate Nash do is truly inspiring, and it was wonderful to hear that they were donating part of the sale to the charity. I hope to see more events like this in the future!”
“As an artist myself, I was really impressed by the calibre of work on display at the Freedom event. The fact that it was all for such a good cause made it even better. I hope that more artists will be inspired to use their talent to make a difference in the world.”
Inspirational Speeches and Readings
One of the highlights of Freedom Charity’s Bishopsgate Institute event was the narration of the story of “Sarah” by Aneeta Prem herself. The story was both heart-wrenching and left many audience members in tears. It also inspired hope that with the help and support of every person in the room, real change is possible. A young person who attended said “I was really inspired by the event hosted by Freedom. It was amazing to see how art can be used to make a difference in the world, and hearing the story of Sarah really touched my heart. I hope I can make a difference too one day!”
The event also featured a speech by a government minister who praised Freedom Charity’s work. Minister Dines emphatically attributed much of Freedom’s success to the hard work of Aneeta Prem, who had recently received an MBE in the King’s Honours list.
“As a survivor of forced marriage, attending the Freedom event was a really emotional experience for me. Hearing Anita’s narration of Sarah’s story brought back a lot of memories but also made me feel like I’m not alone. I’m so grateful for the work that Freedom does.”
Education and Prevention Efforts
Unquestionably, one of the key messages of the event was the importance of education. As well as also highlighting the prevention efforts to end dishonour-based violence. Freedom Charity hasve therefore developed two PSHE lessons based on Aneeta Prem’s books “But It’s Not Fair” and “Cut Flowers,” which have subsequently been relaunched on the PSHE website.
The lessons aim to educate young people about the dangers of forced marriage and other forms of dishonour-based violence. They empower the reader in order that they take action to prevent it. The event further showcased the impact of these lessons and the importance of continuing to support education and prevention efforts.
“As a teacher, I was thrilled to learn that Aneeta Prem’s books are being used in PSHE lessons. The story of Freedom’s work and the importance of education was really moving, and I will definitely be recommending the books to my students.”
“As a parent, I was so glad I attended the Freedom event. It was eye-opening to learn about the important work they do to support young people who are at risk of being forced into marriage. I will definitely be supporting their cause in any way I can.”
Get Involved: How You Can Make a Difference
The event was a celebration of the progress that has been made in the fight against dishonour-based violence. It also highlighted the work that still needs to be done. Freedom Charity can not continue its life-saving work without the support of people like you.
You can certainly make a difference by donating money, time, or energy to support the organisation’s important work. Every contribution makes a difference in the lives of vulnerable young people, both in the UK and around the world.
“As someone who has never heard of Freedom before, attending the event was a real eye-opener. I had no idea that forced marriage was still such a prevalent issue, but the work that Aneeta Prem and her team are doing is truly inspiring. I will definitely be spreading the word about this important cause.”