Liverpool fan Michael Parkin is running 227 miles, from Anfield to Grenfell Tower, to highlight the need for a Hillsborough Law and to raise money for charity.
On April 13, Parkin set off from Anfield with the support of Hillsborough families, as well as the Metro Mayors of Liverpool and Manchester, Steve Rotheram and Andy Burnham.
He is trekking the distance from Anfield to Grenfell Tower in west London, and passed Hillsborough on April 15, the 35th anniversary of the disaster that killed 97 supporters.
At time of writing, Parkin has raised over £3,000 already on his run for charities Mind and The Grenfell Foundation. However, his main aim is to highlight the need for a Hillsborough Law.
Day 3. "Through the end and rain" Hillsborough Memorial @swfc Today our thoughts are with our friends and all the families who lost loved-ones and those who have struggled every day since.
Mik continues today on to Rainworth with the primary mission to get the #HillsboroughLawNow… pic.twitter.com/ew0Y4Zr6gw— Anfield to Grenfell Run (@Sheff_Grenfell) April 15, 2024
The Hillsborough Law Now campaign aims to introduce a bill that would:
“Create a new legal duty of candour on public authorities and officials to tell the truth and proactively cooperate with official investigations and inquiries – bringing to an end the depressingly familiar pattern of cover ups and concealment.
“Ensure victims of disasters or state-related deaths are entitled to parity of legal representation during inquests and inquiries. This will mean that bereaved families can get public funding, just as public money is used to support Government and public authority lawyers.”
Runner Parkin told Sky News: “Some people see Hillsborough Law and think it’s about football and Liverpool, it’s not.
“The only people who can’t benefit from this actually are the Hillsborough families because the legal avenues have finished.”
Multiple high-profile incidents’ victims and families could benefit from the proposed new law, including those involved in the Post Office Horizon scandal and the Grenfell Tower fire.
Image credit: @Sheff_Grenfell (Twitter)
Parkin added: “Imagine being part of one of these families. You’re traumatised or grief-stricken and you now have an unexpected legal battle which isn’t going to take months or even years, it will take decades.
“The Hillsborough Law will bring through a duty of candour – so if a major incident happens, the facts get released straight away, which means the truth can be got to much more quickly and once you get the truth, you get accountability and you get change.
“The nature of life is at some moment in time, there will be another tragedy. This will make the country better.”
After eight days’ running, Parkin is set to complete his challenge on April 20, and runners are invited to join him for the last two-and-a-half miles to Grenfell Tower, where 72 people died in an avoidable fire in 2017.
• You can donate to Michael Parkin’s run HERE and learn more about the Hillsborough Law Now campaign HERE.
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