This is an important personal message from our co-director at March for Life UK, Isabel Vaughan-Spruce:
I am sure most of you have heard that the investigations surrounding my second arrest (for silently praying inside a PSPO/buffer zone near an abortion centre) have now been dropped by the police along with an apology for how long this has dragged on for.
This is very positive news, especially that the Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, personally involved herself by reminding every police force in the country that silent prayer is not a crime.
We are particularly blessed at the coverage this story has received right from the start in December last year (the date of the original arrest) up to the current time. Last week, The Daily Mail reported the story of the investigation for the second arrest being dropped – the story had over 500 comments under the article, the vast majority were supportive. This was followed by a further article which was also surprisingly accurate. I say ‘surprisingly’ because over the years we have grown used to the secular media spreading so many lies on pro-life issues that it’s something of a shock when a story is told as it really is. The story was picked up by Fox News and actually trended as their number one story for a while and was followed by a further news report.
We are very grateful to the news outlets which have shared the story accurately, to ADF for their amazing legal support throughout this situation and of course to all of you for standing by us in many ways.
While this is all very positive news (notwithstanding that there are many, many pro-life battles still to fight) it has come at a cost to March for Life. Right from the initial arrest last December up to now we have had to give a lot of time to this issue. We have, of course, had to have discussions with our legal team but also the media and public speaking engagements which have arisen due to the situation have been extremely time consuming.
Just to give you an example: I spent three full days last week with various groups (a student group at a university, a religious organisation and a pro-life group) and the week before that three days were taken up with a trip to Spain to speak with pro-life groups there. The conversations I have had at these events have been extremely encouraging. Just last weekend one lady shared with me how she’d wanted ‘nothing to do with pro-life groups that harass and intimidate women near abortion centres’ and was disgusted that anyone should do this . . . but ended by saying ‘I realise now that you don’t do this and that I was lied to all along’.
Through talking in these various settings I have seen people motivated to get involved practically in pro-life work as well as pray for the cause. I have also spoken to many who have told me of their renewed sense of zeal where they had previously felt discouraged in their own sphere of pro-life ministry.
The result of all this is that I (and the team at March for Life UK) have had very little, if any, serious time to give to raising funds and so our bank account is not looking healthy. We need some generous donors to recognise the importance of this work and help us continue to move on with our mission.
We have various events coming up including our Anniversary Act witness in Parliament Square on Oct 27th, our Rethink Abortion Day in London on Nov 11th as well as a post-abortion awareness day for clergy later in October. This is aside from numerous smaller events we are participating in and supporting. Could you in turn help support us? We consider all our financial donors, as well as those who pray for us and our work, an essential and integral part of our team. Though we might not know all your faces, we pray for you all and are so grateful for anything you can give to help us continue this fight. We may be a small core team but with your help and God’s, we can do great things!
On this feast day of St Michael (Michaelmas) we pray that we can continue to battle against the scourge of abortion and awaken all those who are blind to how precious each and every life is from the first moment of conception.
