Thames Kayak

This Friday 11th September I'll be kayaking down the Thames, Battersea to Greenwich, in support of The Johnson Beharry VC Foundation. The Foundation protects vulnerable children from criminal exploitation and violence.

Its founder, Johnson Beharry VC, experienced exploitation and criminality on the streets of London as a teenager before an intervention from his grandmother led him to join the Army. Johnson is best known for becoming the first living recipient of the Victoria Cross since 1969 after his actions saved the lives of 42 British soldiers in Iraq.

His foundation’s work is directly connected to his lived experiences and believes early and intensive intervention is required to protect the most vulnerable children from criminal exploitation and violence.

This October, the Foundation is launching Project Alpha at a primary school in Croydon. A year-long intensive programme for twelve children. It offers mentoring, sport, visits from practitioners, away days, and a residential, running from October 2026 to summer 2027. The overall aim is to protect vulnerable children from criminal exploitation and violence by building confidence, judgement, relationships, and resilience before the high-risk transition to secondary school. All children who complete the programme will then continue to receive ongoing practical support from the Foundation until they are 18.

The money I raise will go towards putting twelve children through Project Alpha. Thank you for anything you can give.