The historic moments for the National Memorial Family Fund: 2018 to date!

"Marking significant achievements"

We want to share some of the historic and pivotal moments for the the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund (NMPMFF) since its inception.

These mark some of our key milestones, developments and achievements over the years, which demonstrates how we have progressed on our core mission.


Much research, as well as grassroots knowledge, has shown that people of African and Caribbean decent, die in disproportionate numbers in state institutions.


Below are a collection of articles published on this website (in descending order).

  • NMPMFF Annual Report for the period 2022-2023

    17 September 2024

    The NMPMFF are proud to present our second annual report of activities in 2022 and 2023. This report will cover the most significant of our positive outcomes, whilst also being realistic about some of the challenges and hurdles that lay ahead. 

    Read more >

  • NMPMFF operational and grant structure changes

    3 July 2024

    NMPMFF made significant changes to grant making and admin systems. The Crisis Family Fund will now be our principal grant programme. Strict criteria will ensure that those in genuine urgent need receive awards. The process will remain simple, with a quick turnaround.

    Read more >

  • Launch of the Benjamin Zephaniah Memorial Calendar

    30 January 2024

    The national calendar will be populated over coming weeks and months and will feature national events that were, or are due to be, held to remember Dr Benjamin Zephaniah who sadly died on 7 December 2023 aged 65 after being diagnosed with a brain tumor.

    Read more >

  • 40-20-1 Event report: Celebration, Memorial and Gala Awards 2023

    25 November 2023

    The first National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund (NMPMFF) Annual Gala Dinner & Campaigners Awards for 2023 (in conjunction with INQUEST) took place on 25 November 2023 at the Legacy Centre, Birmingham, and combined three significant events in-one.

    Read more >

  • Two Decades On – Continued legacy remembers Mikey Powell

    29 August 2023

    The 7th September 2023 will mark the twentieth anniversary of the brutal and needless death of father of three, Michael Lloyd Powell (commonly known as Mikey, and a cousin of the renowned late poet and writer, Dr Benjamin Zephaniah) at the hands of West Midlands Police in Lozells, Birmingham. Mikey was experiencing a psychotic episode. 

    Read more >

  • Families Matter : Caring Matters – event report & photo gallery

    27 May 2023

    This event took place in Manchester on 27 May 2023 and was a free family only entertainment, socialising pampering event for those affected by deaths in custody. It consisted of a 3-course meal and beverages, pamper zones, arts & wellbeing stalls, resident DJ and local performing artists.

    Read more >

  • Abigail's 30th Birthday Fundraiser raises £2k+ for the Family Fund

    3 February 2023

    Everyone at the NMPMFF wholeheartedly thanked the family and also Doughty Street Chambers for this wonderful gesture and contribution to the Family Fund - this will very much help in our continued efforts to support affected families in the UK. 

    Read more >

  • UFFC Legacy Fund support for the NMPMFF Holiday Scheme

    1 October 2022

    The United Families & Friends Campaign and Migrant Media donated £10,000 through the Legacy Fund in order to support the National Memorial Family Fund Holiday Scheme and respite initiative supporting children, young people and families. 

    Read more >

  • NMPMFF presents its inaugural Annual Report for 2021-2022

    1 October 2022

    We were proud to present our first full annual report of our activities between 2021 and 2022. The 1 September 2022 marked 7 years since the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund was founded, and just over 2 years since our first ever funding round. 

    Read more >

  • INQUEST donates funding for the National Memorial Family Fund

    11 November 2021

    INQUEST donated £7,500 in grant funding to the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund to further our development of the Annual Gala Dinner & Awards initiative. 

    Read more >

  • BLM UK announce funding for the Memorial Family Fund

    25 October 2021

    Black Lives Matter UK agreed to the release of £40,000 in grant funding to the National Memorial Family Fund to further our Development Plan and appoint two new key part-time staff members (employed via accountable body, Catalyst4Change CIC).

    Read more >

  • National Mikey Powell Family Fund & UFFC launch Legacy Fund

    25 October 2021

    The Legacy Fund was a new funding stream administered by the National Memorial Family Fund on behalf of the United Families & Friends Campaign (UFFC) and Migrant Media.

    Read more >

  • Looking Back : Moving Forward – National Family Fund event report

    20 September 2021

    This event took place on 10 September 2021 marking the 18th anniversary of the death of Mikey Powell in West Midlands police custody, and celebrated 6 years of the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund developed by his cousin, Tippa Naphtali, in September 2015.

    Read more >

  • National Family Fund & UFFC to launch Crisis Family Fund

    23 January 2021

    The National Memorial Family Fund added a new funding stream called the Crisis Family Fund in March 2021 in partnership with the United Families & Friends Campaign (UFFC).

    Read more >

  • Launch of the Two-Way Give-Back Programme

    23 January 2021

    In conjunction with 4WardEverUK our ‘Two-Way Give-Back’ programme will block-purchase selected services or products and offer them to affected families at discounted prices. When families use the service, vendors simply give a little back! 

    Read more >

  • UFFC Rally 2020 : Memorial family event takes place online

    1 November 2020

    In October 2020 we collaborated with the United Families and Friends Campaign to hold the annual protest & rally online due to Covid restrictions, with a powerful video tribute that remembered the victims and heard from some of the families affected. 

    Read more >

  • National Family Fund is formally incubated by Catalyst4Change

    8 August 2020

    We were pleased to announce that (with effect from 29 July 2020) the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund would be formally incubated by West Midlands based social enterprise Catalyst 4 Change, thereby taking on its legal identity but maintaining our operational independence. 

    Read more >

  • National Mikey Powell Family Fund announce 1st funding round

    14 June 2020

    In June 2020 were extremely pleased to announce that after 5 years of fundraising, the first ever National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund round would open for applications. 

    Read more >

  • National Family Fund – Unprecedented donations in call for justice

    14 June 2020

    Initially triggered by the brutal police killing of George Floyd, international protests and a Tweet from Oonagh Ryder (@oonskie) and subsequent follow-up Tweets by Lucy Brisbane McKay (@lucybrisbane) and others, we saw unprecedented donations to the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund in May and June 2020. 

    Read more >

  • UFFC 20th Anniversary conference and rally (held October 2018)

    2 November 2018

    In 2018 we collaborated with the United Families & Friends Campaign to mark the 20th year of the annual rally and protest by also holding a conference on 26 October, followed by the rally on 27 October from Trafalgar Square to 10 Downing Street. 

    Read more >

See our National Memorial Family Album

The gallery includes images and summaries celebrating the support that the National Family Fund has provided.


The images and summaries are updated from time to time, and may also include links to further information provided about the campaigns that are listed.


See the Family Album here >
The National Memorial Family Fund is the first permanent national resource of its kind specifically for those affected by deaths and killings in custody or state neglect. We make small grants available for families and their campaign groups across the UK to provide practical domestic assistance and campaign support. We also run (or are developing) a range of other support services for families, children and young people that are affected.

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