Justice First

03/06/2026

🎬 20 Years of Justice First: Our Stories Series Begins

As we enter the second half of our 20th anniversary year, we're proud to launch the first film in our 20 Years of Justice First Stories Series.

Over the coming months, we'll be sharing a collection of short films featuring people connected to Justice First, reflecting on the impact our organisation has had on individuals and communities since our formation in 2006.

Full-length versions of these films will be available on our YouTube channel, with more stories to be released throughout the year: https://youtu.be/HdTq-57tJ88?si=GNI-74-24g3Nglas

First up: Pete Widlinski. Pete has been involved with Justice First since before the organisation was even established. Over the years he has been a founder, trustee, staff member, supporter, and advocate. Although he has stepped back from formal roles, Pete remains a passionate champion of our work and the people we support. Watch Pete's story and hear his reflections on 20 years of Justice First.

Please help us share this story far and wide.

If Pete's story inspires you, please consider making a donation and helping us reach our £20,000 anniversary fundraising target. Every contribution helps us continue supporting people and communities for years to come: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/20-years-of-justice-help-us-raise-20-000

01/06/2026

📢We’re extending the deadline for our Chair of Trustees recruitment to 30 June 2026.

To help us reach a wider pool of potential applicants, we’ve decided to keep the role open a little longer as we continue our search for a visionary leader to guide Justice First into its next chapter.

If you’ve been thinking about applying - there’s still time, and we’d love you to take a look. Please also help us share widely.

Apply here: https://justicefirst.org.uk/become-our-chair-of-trustees/

30/05/2026

3 WEEKS TO GO!

3 weeks today until our refugee week football tournament! There’s still time to enter a team… get in touch! ⚽️

📅 Saturday 20th June
🕤 9:30am – 2:00pm
📍 Goals Teesside

A fantastic day bringing people together through sport, food, and community, with teams joining us from across the North East and Cumbria!

You can get involved by entering a team (£70), sponsoring a team (£70), or coming along to support, cheer, and make a donation towards food and event costs. Deadline to enter a team is the 6th of June.

As part of our 20th anniversary year and £20,000 fundraising target, we are particularly keen to hear from local businesses who may be able to sponsor a team. Teams made up of people seeking asylum play for free, so sponsorship is essential to help make the event possible. Donation link: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/20-years-of-justice-help-us-raise-20-000

Please get in touch for more information - full details are on the posters below.

27/05/2026

Sharing this fantastic community event organised by one of our trustees, Steve Ollis, in support of Justice First.

Whether you’re a seasoned chess player or just fancy a friendly game by the river, everybody is welcome to come along, enjoy the atmosphere, and support a great cause!

📍 Tees Barrage (by San Seb Coffee)
📅 Sunday, 31 May 2026
⏰ 10:00am – 12:30pm

The event is free to attend, with voluntary donations to Justice First warmly welcomed.

Please share with anyone who might enjoy a morning of chess, coffee, and community!

27/05/2026

We’ve now surpassed 25% of our £20,000 fundraising target! 🎉

A huge thank you to Trish for organising her coffee and cake fundraiser for Justice First on the bank holiday weekend, which raised an incredible £795 and helped push us past the 25% milestone. We’re currently at £5,357 raised so far.

Thank you to everyone who has already donated or organised fundraising activities - your support truly means so much. And thank you as well to those who already have plans in the works!

We still have a long way to go, and we’d love your help. Could you organise a fundraising event for Justice First? Every effort, big or small, makes a difference.

You can also donate directly by cash at the office, cheque, bank transfer or via our designated People’s Fundraising link: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/20-years-of-justice-help-us-raise-20-000

Together, we can keep building towards our goal. 🧡

13/05/2026

Last week we launched our recruitment for a new Chair of Trustees!

As we mark 20 years of impact at Justice First, we’re looking for a visionary leader to help guide us into our next chapter.

This is a great opportunity to shape our future!

Please do help us to share widely! Application deadline is: 30 May 2026

Today we are launching our recruitment for a new Chair of Trustees 🎉

As we mark 20 years of impact at Justice First, we’re looking for a visionary leader to help guide us into our next chapter.

This is a unique opportunity to shape our future, support a passionate team, and make a lasting difference.

📥 Download the recruitment pack and apply via our website: https://justicefirst.org.uk/become-our-chair-of-trustees/

📅 Deadline: 30 May 2026

Join us at an exciting moment in our journey.

Please help us share widely! 🔁🤳🏻🗣️

12/05/2026

It’s nearly that time of year again as Refugee Week approaches, which means it’s time to share details of our annual Refugee Week Football Tournament!

📅 Saturday 20th June
🕤 9:30am – 2:00pm
📍 Goals Teesside

A fantastic day bringing people together through sport, food, and community, with teams joining us from across the North East and Cumbria!

You can get involved by entering a team (£70), sponsoring a team (£70), or coming along to support, cheer, and make a donation towards food and event costs. Deadline to enter a team is the 6th of June.

As part of our 20th anniversary year and £20,000 fundraising target, we are particularly keen to hear from local businesses who may be able to sponsor a team. Teams made up of people seeking asylum play for free, so sponsorship is essential to help make the event possible. Donation link: https://www.peoplesfundraising.com/donation/20-years-of-justice-help-us-raise-20-000

Please get in touch for more information - full details are on the posters below.

05/05/2026

Today we are launching our recruitment for a new Chair of Trustees 🎉

As we mark 20 years of impact at Justice First, we’re looking for a visionary leader to help guide us into our next chapter.

This is a unique opportunity to shape our future, support a passionate team, and make a lasting difference.

📥 Download the recruitment pack and apply via our website: https://justicefirst.org.uk/become-our-chair-of-trustees/

📅 Deadline: 30 May 2026

Join us at an exciting moment in our journey.

Please help us share widely! 🔁🤳🏻🗣️

15/04/2026

We are aware of the recent BBC article discussing concerns around legal advice in LGBT asylum cases.

As an organisation providing legal advice, we take our professional and ethical responsibilities extremely seriously. We fully recognise that, as in any sector, there may be isolated instances where standards fall short. These cases should be addressed appropriately and transparently.

However, it is important to emphasise that such instances do not reflect the wider work of the many dedicated, regulated advisers, charities, and legal professionals who act in good faith to support people navigating complex and often distressing immigration processes.

In our experience, the vast majority of practitioners are committed to providing accurate, ethical, and client-centred advice, often under significant pressure and with limited resources.

We remain committed to upholding high standards, accountability, and access to justice for those we support.

02/04/2026

Signing off for the Easter long weekend!
Our office will be closed tomorrow and Monday, and we’ll be back open as normal on Tuesday.

Wishing everyone a happy Easter 💛

- The JF Team