With thanks to 2021 funding from INQUEST and Black Lives Matter UK for the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund (NMPMFF), we have recently appointed four new sessional team members to carry forward our plans.

The NMPMFF (developed in 2015) is the first permanent national resource of its kind specifically for those that are affected by deaths in custody and makes small grants available for families and their campaign groups across the United Kingdom to provide practical domestic assistance, to further the work of their own campaigns or to assist them in engaging in a range of other local, regional or national campaigns, events and initiatives.

Three of the new team members will specifically support the NMPMFF Annual Activist Gala Dinner & Awards initiative in the areas of partnership, CSR & sponsorship, marketing & publicity and venues & activity coordination. The third new member will assist other key staff with marketing & publicity for fundraising and general public events.

Our new team members are:

Kwesi Ochosi : Awards Partnership, CSR & Sponsorship Co-ordinator
Assistance with developing partnerships, corporate/business giving and sponsorship.

Maia Jasmin-Watkins : Awards Marketing & Publicity Assistant
Assistance with developing marketing strategies and campaigns for our Awards events.

Nehanda Sankofa : Awards Venues & Activity Co-ordinator
Assistance with securing venues, speakers and activities for our Awards events.

Nirad Abrol : General Marketing & Publicity Assistant.

Assistance with developing marketing strategies and campaigns for our general events.

The teams initial focus will be on;

The Family Fund Annual Gala Dinner & Awards

Led by 4WardEverUK, we plan to work with a range of other campaign and civil rights groups, individuals, charities and companies to launch the Annual Activists Awards & Gala Dinner in Spring 2023. Its principal aim is to formerly recognise those affected families and individuals that have influence structural change. Its secondary purpose is to raise the profile of, and resources for the National Memorial Family Fund.

The National Events Programme

The first of three events (made possible with a small part-funded grant from the Edge Fund), Looking Back : Moving Forward, was held on 10 September 2021. The event marked the 18th anniversary of the death of Mikey Powell in police custody, and celebrated 6 years of the National Family Fund. The second event due in August 2022 will be a social day for affected families including a 3-course meal, free raffle prize draw, live entertainment and pamper & chillout discussion and meeting zones.

Where it all began!

The birth of the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund followed the launch of a video and online Crowdfunder appeal in 2015.

Founder, Tippa Naphtali (cousin of Mikey Powell) said; “The needs of affected families often gets lost in the equally important work of campaigning and lobbying of the state. We want to change that with a permanent fund set up specifically for their needs.”

What can you do?

Can you help with the Memorial Family Funds’ aspirations? If you have skills, experience, knowledge, resources or connections that can help, please contact us.