Response to Louise Casey’s Audit on Group-based Child Sexual Exploitation 

Muslim Women’s Network UK (MWNUK) stands in full solidarity with all victims of child sexual exploitation. We welcome the recommendations made by Baroness Casey in her audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and support her calls for stronger accountability of institutions that have failed victims. We also support strengthening of laws and robust collection of ethnicity data relating to both perpetrators and victims, which will be essential for informed and effective responses to this form of abuse.

MWNUK CEO Baroness Shaista Gohir said: “A national inquiry must examine why early intervention systems failed to protect children including to what extent chronic underfunding of child protection services, along with the attitudes or inaction of frontline professionals, enabled abuse to continue unchecked. While it will also be important to recognise patterns that may exist within specific groups, including drivers that lead to their over-representation, we must not lose sight of the fact that perpetrators and victims come from all backgrounds, and a comprehensive response must reflect that reality.”

MWNUK previously ran a series of awareness-raising events across England, partnering with community organisations to encourage reporting and prevention. We also produced a set of powerful campaign videos, including:

In 2013, we published a ground-breaking report titled Unheard Voices – Sexual Exploitation of South Asian Girls. The research was conducted to shed light on the often hidden and overlooked experiences of minority ethnic girls. Our findings reveal that, like their white peers, these girls were targeted due to their vulnerability and accessibility.

*Victims of sexual exploitation can contact Muslim Women’s Network Helpline on 0800 999 5786 / info@mwnhelpline.co.uk or via the Amal Safety Mobile iPhone App.

 

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Heat-Health Alert

The UK Health Security Agency have extensive guidance and materials for supporting communities, including:

You can find a map of Cool Spaces across London here, and register your own too.

The Met Office’s #WeatherReady campaign also has lots of advice and guidance.

Wildfire Alert

London Fire Brigade provide guidance and support around wildfire risk on this webpage.

Social Channels

Do follow London Resilience on either BlueSky or X (Twitter) where we will be sharing content.

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Code of Fundraising Practice Guides

As part of the launch of the new Code of Fundraising Practice, we’ve published three code support guides to help fundraising organisations apply the code in practice. These guides can be used alongside the code and they focus on areas that fundraisers have told us can be complex or high-risk: documenting decisions, due diligence, and monitoring fundraising partnerships.

Read our blog from our Head of Policy, Paul Winyard, for more details about what each code support guide offers.

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New Advice for Retailers – Charitable Cash Collections

We’ve recently published new advice for retailers, such as supermarkets, who carry out charitable cash collections on their premises. Retailers play an important role in supporting charitable causes through providing a space for charitable collections in their stores. However, it is important that everyone involved meets certain standards to make sure fundraising occurs in a safe and secure way, so that any money raised reaches its intended purpose. You can read our blog explaining more about why we’ve published this guidance and what it covers from our Head of Proactive Regulation, Jim Tebbett. 

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ESCA Community Event Report

Project Title: Eid Al-Adha Celebration
Organizer: Eastern Sudan Community Association (ESCA), London Branch
Date: Saturday, June 7, 2025, Time: 16:45 – 21:45
Venue: White City Community Centre, Central London
Total Attendance: 202 individuals (47 women, 48 men, 34 youths, 73 children)

1. Objectives
The primary goals of the Eid Al-Adha celebration were to:
1. Celebrate Eid Al-Adha with the local Sudanese community.
2. Promote and preserve Eastern Sudanese cultural heritage.
3. Support local Sudanese-owned businesses through a community bazaar.
4. Foster unity, cultural pride, and engagement among community members.
5. Provide families and children with a joyful and educational cultural experience.

2. Activities Overview
• Cultural Performances: Traditional shows by 3 Sudanese artists and a Sudanese
music group delivered live performances.
• Children’s Entertainment: Art activities and two trampoline bounce areas
provided safe and engaging fun for children.
• Recognition Ceremony: 5 community volunteers and 2 distinguished women
were honoured for their service and contributions.
• Football Recruitment: Coach Ammar Al-Qadi gave a welcome address, inviting
families to enrol their children in the ESCA football team.
• Bazaar and Refreshments: Local Sudanese vendors participated in a small
bazaar offering food and cultural items.

3. Target Audience
• Sudanese families and individuals residing in the Hammersmith and Fulham area.
• Broader community members with an interest in cultural exchange and Sudanese
traditions.

4. Expected Benefits
• Fosters cultural pride and intergenerational knowledge exchange.
• Supports Sudanese entrepreneurs and artisans.
• Enhances ESCA’s visibility and credibility within the community.
• Builds stronger community bonds through shared celebration and participation.

5. Conclusion
The Eid Al-Adha Celebration organized by ESCA was a successful one-day cultural
event that brought together over 200 participants for a memorable and meaningful
experience. By blending entertainment, tradition, and community recognition, the event
effectively promoted Sudanese heritage, supported local businesses, and reinforced
community solidarity. Continued support and collaboration will enable ESCA to deliver
even greater impact in future community events

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Spending Review 2025 – Implications for Charities

Nearly a year after their General Election victory, the Labour government has finalised its spending plans for the rest of the Parliament. The 2025 Spending Review, announced by the Chancellor Rachel Reeves yesterday, sets out government department budgets up to 2029/30.

This review provides the blueprint for how the government will operate in the years ahead, as well as what local governments and the devolved governments will have available. It will affect many statutory services that charity beneficiaries rely on or that charities have close interactions with. Read more from Jay Kennedy here.

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5 practical Ways Charities Can Use AI (Without Losing The Human Touch)

In this article, Clare Martin explores how charities can effectively use AI to support their marketing efforts without losing their authentic voice, offering practical tips for small teams to integrate AI strategically, maintain consistency, and lighten their workload. Give it a read here.

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Addison Jazz Choir & Jazz Ensemble – 5th July

We are a local  choir rehearsing in the POSK in King Street Hammersmith and always looking for new members. We will be appearing in Hammersmith on 5th July. Find out more 

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New Coproduction Officer at Sobus

My name is Jemima, and I am the new Coproduction Officer at Sobus. Since joining the team, I have been learning more about the Borough and the local VCS and am excited to get started!

My role is focused on health inequalities – we know that communities are not getting the support and access to health services that they need. A coproduction approach to health inequalities means putting residents and voluntary and community organisations at the heart of the design and delivery of health services. By listening to the voices of residents about their experiences of health services and the barriers they face, health providers can make their services more accessible and inclusive for different cultures and communities. I am working with both the voluntary and community sector and statutory services to support this collaboration and reduce the barriers to accessing health services.

Alongside this work with Sobus, I am also working part-time at Islington Refugee and Migrant Forum, supporting refugee and migrant organisations with fundraising, capacity building, and partnership working.

If you have any questions about my work or would like to get in touch, please email me at Jemima.hill@sobus.org.uk

 

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MPs Raise Concerns Over Gift Aid Commission Earned by Fundraising Platforms

Members of Parliament have expressed concerns in the House of Commons regarding the commission charged by online fundraising platforms on gift aid. Labour and Conservative MPs highlighted their worries following research by advisory firm Strand Partners, which revealed that charities lost over £7.5 million last year due to the commission these platforms charge for processing gift aid claims on behalf of charities. Read more here.

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