We are cycling 100 miles to raise £1,000 for White Ribbon UK, a charity that works to prevent violence against women and girls.
Our fundraiser is taking place on Friday 22 November from 11:00-17:00 underneath the clock tower in Market Place. Staff from the Domestic Abuse (DA) Alliance, along with a team of our supporters, will take turns to ‘clock up the miles’ on exercise bikes. The White Swan will provide refreshments to the cyclists and passing crowds from a mobile bar. Proceeds taken by the bar will support the fundraiser. Cyrus, the city’s popular busking soul singer, will lead the vocal support for participants.
Members of the public will be encouraged to donate towards the fundraising target in exchange for a white ribbon. The white ribbon symbolises allyship, and the idea that men should take responsibility to challenge gender-based violence. The annual White Ribbon Day [25 November 2024] is a time to raise awareness about men’s violence against women and girls and the role men can play in ending it.
Rosie Watson, head of external relations, DA Alliance said: “Starting with men, we must address the attitudes and behaviours that contribute to a fear of violence for women. Each year, over 2.1 million people aged 16 years and over experience domestic abuse. 1.4 million of these are women. Since 2019, we’ve supported over 35,000 people in Hertfordshire and beyond living with abuse, providing legal assistance and protection to help them break the cycle.”
The fundraising event is being supported by St Albans City Centre BID (Business Improvement District), a business led and business funded not-for-profit company working to create a vibrant, safe and resilient city centre for those who live, work and visit the city.
Vivien Cannon, BID Manager said, “BID is pleased to support the DA Alliance to reach their very modest fundraising total and encourage everyone to come along and show their active support for White Ribbon Day. BID works with many partners on safety issues to ensure St Albans remains a safe place for all.”
We are delighted that Councillor Jamie Day, the Mayor of St Albans, Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat MP for St Albans, and DA Alliance Ambassador Sharon Livermore MBE will attend the event to support our fundraising efforts.
Together we can prevent violence against women and girls.
Join the conversation online using the hashtags #SayNoToDomestic Silence | #WhiteRibbonDay | #ItStartsWithMen
In 2022 we were presented with a Mayor’s Pride Award, which celebrates extraordinary people and outstanding organisations that make a positive contribution to the local community.
The Award followed our White Ribbon Day 2021 fundraiser, where we projected a series of unfinished portraits onto St Albans Clock Tower to commemorate some of the women whose lives have been cut short by abuse. Digital artist Holly Ringrose drew each woman for one minute for every year of their life. The incomplete portraits represent that these women were never allowed to live their full lives.
This event left a lasting impression on St Albans Mayor Edgar Hill who presented the Special Recognition Award to members of the DA Alliance team at a ceremony held at St Michael’s Manor on Tuesday 29th March 2022.
