Join a movement of incredibly passionate people across the UK raising vital funds and awareness to help survivors of torture rebuild their lives.
Joining your local supporters' group couldn't be easier, with 16 active local groups and 5 student groups to pick between – find details about our current groups by scrolling down!
Need advice on events you could organise, or how to start your Local or Student group? Scroll to the bottom for our 'how to' booklets! Full of great advice and tips & tricks for starting out.
Chair: Sue Jones-Davies
Secretary & Treasurer: Michael Freeman
Number of members: 8-10.
A Supporters Group since 2015.
Since then, the group have organised various sponsored beach clean-ups and litter picks, several poetry evenings, yoga events and other little collection opportunities throughout the years.
If you would like to join, please contact the group directly by email to sue.jonesdavies@googlemail.com.
Chair: Beth Richardson
Number of members: 8 +
This supporters group relaunched in 2022.
The group still maintained a level of participation via an annual carol concert and quiz night in collaboration with Amnesty International, even whilst dormant.
If you would like to be involved in the group please get in touch with our Local Groups team localgroups@freedomfromtorture.org
Chair: Andrew Jackson
Treasurer: Amanda Williams
Secretary: John Humphrey
Number of members: 45 +
A Supporter Group since 2016.
The group have organised a number of successful fundraising and awareness raising events including a Christmas fair, a literary evening on Sri Lanka's disappeared, a Labour Party fringe event and a number of Survivors Speak Out talks. During the pandemic, they held a virtual Cycle against Torture, following an 850 mile long virtual route from Hastings to Edinburgh, which raised over £5,000.
If you are interested in getting involved or hearing more about the group, please contact us on:
Chair: Linda Walz
Membership Secretary: Alison Wickert
Treasurer: Gillian Rice
Number of members: 100+
The group have held some incredible activities in their time. Including organising multiple performances, collaborating with their local amnesty and STAR groups. In 2022 the group held a fantastic in-person and on-line hybrid event at Bristol University with former Guantanamo detainee Mohamed Ould Slahi.
We are always ready to welcome new members either to attend meetings, raise funds or join our mailing list so we can inform you about future events. Anyone interested please contact us:
Chairs: Jane Martin and Martin Kerrison
This group is mainly based around Penzance. Across the years the group have raised over £13,000 for FFT. Within this fundraising were events ranging from art auctions to open gardens at Tremenheere Sculpture Gardens.
Chair: Rob & Alex Womack
Treasurer: Nancy Sheppard
Secretary: Lauretta Kerridge
Number of members: 40
A supporters group since 1999.
The group have been highly successful in raising awareness and increasing the presence of Freedom from Torture. The outstanding support we have received locally is a huge indication of this.
For more details on all upcoming events or to help out with future group activities, contact Lauretta on 01305 268641
Chair: Anne Sutcliffe
Treasurer: Anne Sutcliffe
Number of members: 10
The East Kent Group is one of Freedom from Torture's longest running groups, despite the wide-spread geography of its members.
The types of events and activities organised over the years include store and street collections, authors talks, cake stalls, refugee talks, film screenings, book sales and more. For more information, please contact snierhoff@freedomfromtorture.org
Chair: Leah Levane
Treasurer: Rohan Jayasekera
Number of members: 80+
S supporters group since 2016.
the group has been very successful in raising funds for Freedom from Torture through music and arts events and an annual sponsored walk. The group is also keen to raise awareness of Freedom from Torture's crucial work by speaking at public events and exhibitions. They are very active in Lewes and Eastbourne and plan new work in Hastings and Bexhill.
Please contact the group on:
Chair: Vacant
Treasurer: Rachel Fawthrop
Secretary: Vacant
Number of members: 100+
The group has been extremely successful, holding multiple events over the last 15 years, including live music gigs with well known artists headlining, house concerts, sponsored walks, comedy nights, garden parties, art and craft sales, coffee mornings and more.
In 2019, member Moira Dunworth co-ordinated Cycle against Torture, an 865-mile bike ride from Hastings to Edinburgh. The epic adventure raised close to £30,000 for Freedom from Torture.
Chair: Nick Carmichael
Treasurer: Grace Buckley
Secretary: Paula McStravick
Number of members: 30+
The group have held brilliant concerts, comedy nights, quiz nights and film screenings. The group raise incredible amounts yearly, raising over £10,000 across their time as a group.
If you are interested in getting involved with this group, please complete the drop down registration at the top of the screen.
Chair: Joanna Pienkowska
Treasurer: Kumiko Matsuoka
Secretary: Adam Griffith
Number of members: Executive Committee of 10 and a mailing list of 200+
The group has organised a number of highly successful fundraising events, including beautiful music evenings, literary events featuring Andrew Motion, Alan Hollinghurst, John Hegley and Shobu Kapoor, several evenings of words and music at Hampstead Parish Church, quiz nights, comedy nights and film screenings as well as a Desert Island Disc event featuring Fiona Shaw. During the pandemic they moved all our events online and organised two highly successful webinars featuring Sue MacGregor, James Naughtie and author Patrick Gale.
The group were the founders of the, what became the national campaign 'Crossing Over Water' in August/September 2021. This is now an annual event in which supporters across the UK can make their own version of a journey across water. With the campaign raising over £26,000 across the two years.
If you'd like to join us or have any suggestions or offers of help do please get in touch with us at:
Check out their amazing Welcome Pack
Chair: Vacant
Number of members: 140 +
A supporters group since 2012 which has recently been revived with new membership.
The group covers a number of Boroughs including Lewisham, Greenwich, Croydon, Bromley, Canada Water and Southwark.
The group held incredible woodturning auctions across the years. With their first fundraising event being a very successful sale of hand-turned wooden bowls which raised over £2000.
Since then the group have organised many fundraising events including concerts, literary evenings, art auctions and woodturning auctions. In 2017 alone, the group raised an amazing £33,000 through their fundraising events.
Chair: Janet Purnell
Number of members: 8 Committee members (plus others on mailing list)
A supporters group since 2020
After overcoming the many technical and logistical challenges of setting up a new group in the middle of a pandemic, the group held its first ever event in March 2021. The event featuring Freedom from Torture speakers, readings by the Write to Life group and a performance by the Sing for Freedom Choir was very well attended and a great success.
Please get in touch at
Chair:
Secretary:
Treasurer:
Number of members:
The groups' Chorlton Open Gardens and annual quiz nights have raised significant funds for Freedom from Torture year on year. We raised almost £13,500 in 2016 and the open gardens on their own made £11,000 in 2022. We have also raised the local profile of Freedom from Torture's work. Some of our members are volunteers at the Freedom from Torture Centre in Manchester.
Social Media:
Chairs: Amy Cortvriend & Jessica James
We have just launched our new Northampton Local Group, if you are interested in being involved with this group please contact either Poppy at pbartontopple@freedomfromtorture.org or the group directly at fftnorthampton@gmail.com.
Social Media:
Chair: Vacant
Treasurer: Shirley Mansfield
Secretary: Helen Coyne
Number of members: 300 +
Across the years the North East group have organised multiple fundraisers, including treks, skydives, film showings, Celidths, Garden Parties, and walks. They also have raised awareness through stalls at the Newcastle Community Green Festival, and giving presentations to the public at Newcastle University.
In 2021, the group held an incredible art auction of the work of Ausama al Khalil, a talented artist and ex-client of FFT.
Volunteers have also accompanied clients to Minsteracres Retreat Centre, where two became artists in residence and had a stunning exhibition, and to Edinburgh Book Festival, where clients' creative writing was read.
Across it's time as a group, the North East Group have raised over £20,000.
Chair: Ann Gibson
Treasurer: John Hume
Number of members: Approx 12 on committee
A number of very successful music concerts and Write to Life performances for Freedom from Torture. Most recently, an evening of music and poetry entitled 'Exile and Healing' featuring renowned author Mark Haddon that raised £1000.
The group also hosts concerts, plant sales, coffee mornings, sponsored walks, an annual garden party, stalls at One World Fair and similar, Write to Life readings.
Social Media:
Chair: Vacant
Number of members: 20+
A supporters group since 2000
Mainly based around Bury St Edmunds, but welcomes members from across Suffolk.
The group has held concerts jointly with Amnesty International, art raffles and more recently a number of drama events with plays by members of Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal Writers and performed by local actors. The most recent major event was an “Evening of Music and Drama” hosted by BBC’s Martha Kearney which raised over £1000. Across it's time the group has raised £33,000!
Please contact us at sue.harringtonspier@gmail.com to find out more.
Chair: Helen Clarke
We have just launched our York Local Group, if you are interested in being involved with this group please contact the group directly at yorkfreedomfromtorture@gmail.com
Social Media:
Our university ambassador scheme is a brand-new network designed to engage students in a similar way to our local groups network. Our university ambassadors represent and lead fundraising and campaigning initiatives on their campuses, eventually becoming societies within their Universities.
Contact them at freedomfromtorturecambridge@gmail.com or message them on Instagram @cambridgeunifreedomfromtorture
Presidents: Molly Jamieson & Nimisha Iyer
Secretary: Annabelle Hewartson
Treasurer: Magnus Hole
Other committee members: Toga Ibrahim, Mako Zuva, Iris Shulman, Yusuf Izhac & Sarah Akande
The University of Cambridge group have organised panel events, dance fundraisers, bake sales and more to raise awareness and funds for FFT.
Social Media:
contact them at royalholloway.fft@gmail.com or message on Instagram @royalholloway.fft
President: Ruby Caballero
