This October, a group of staff and volunteers from Newlyn Art Gallery & The Exchange will be swapping gallery spaces for the streets of London as they take on the Royal Parks Half Marathon – raising money in support of Amnesty International.
Although they work together at the gallery, this is something they’re doing outside of their usual roles – a personal and collective challenge undertaken in their own time. They’re not running for the gallery, but for human rights.
With a combined age of 343 years and a wide range of life experiences, each team member has their own reason for signing up. For some, it’s about getting fitter; for others, it’s about connection, mental wellbeing, or simply doing something they never thought possible. What unites them is a shared belief that everyone deserves to be treated equally and fairly. In a rapidly changing world, they believe this commitment to justice is more important than ever. They are proud to be supporting Amnesty International, an organisation that works tirelessly to protect and defend human rights around the world.
The team has been set a fundraising target of £2,450 by Amnesty, and they’re already planning a number of events to help them reach it, including a Plant Stall and Face Painting at the Gallery’s Summer Fair on 30 Aug.
Meet the Team: Fran Ford (44) Ian Stenson (70) James Green (58) Mick Knight (52) Polly Marchant (42) Sian Kennedy (38) Xavia Smith (39)
As Polly explains: “It means a lot to me to do this as a team. People matter — lives matter. Everyone should have the right to water, food, and safety. I believe that by lighting our corner, in our own communities, we can make a difference. Be the change you want to see.”
Supporters can follow their progress and contribute to the fundraising effort via the team’s JustGiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/page/newlyn-art-gallery-and-the-exchange-3
They’ll be sharing updates and stories from training as they prepare for the big day – thank you for cheering them on!
