A STATEMENT IN REGARDS TO THE FIREWALK AND THE NATION PERIOD OF MOURNING

Since Friday last week, and the news about the death of the Queen, the trustees and management team at Shine have been in ongoing discussions regarding the upcoming firewalk this weekend and whether or not it should go ahead.

The Firewalk is scheduled for 17 September, meaning it falls within a period of national mourning, a couple of days before the state funeral on 19 September, and we have been considering the implications for the charity itself, the participants, our community and wider network, and at a more general societal/political level.

We have wanted to make sure that going ahead with the firewalk would be not only in the best interests of the charity and the women and the community we support, but that it would not be disrespectful at a sensitive time.

Crucially, as a charity, we put the wellbeing of women at the centre of our work, and so this must be at the centre of our decision-making in this instance too. To proceed with the firewalk we must demonstrate that going ahead supports every pillar of our ethos and that to cancel would not be in keeping with the charity’s mission and would adversely affect the women we serve. 

Taking all this into account, we feel that this is the right decision for our charity as a whole, for the women we serve and the community we are a part of to continue with the firewalk. We are committed to proceeding with respect and sensitivity at this time, and are confident that proceeding with the firewalk is fully in line with our ethos and mission statement.

Please read our full statement on this decision >>