Refuge Chair shares powerful new training film featuring celebrity ambassadors ahead of London Marathon run honouring women killed in 2025

Refuge has released a new film featuring its Chair of Trustees, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton CBE, ahead of her London Marathon run in memory of every woman killed by a man in the UK last year. 

The film sees Hetti joined by broadcaster Julie Etchingham and Refuge ambassadors including David Morrissey, Ranvir Singh, Lorien Haynes and Sharon Gaffka on a training run in central London, in solidarity with her powerful tribute to victims of domestic homicide and male violence against women. 

In the footage, Hetti wears the same pink bespoke cape she will don on race day, decorated with butterflies to represent every woman killed by a man in the UK in 2025.  

Through her marathon run and new film, Hetti aims to boost public awareness of the tragic reality that on average, one woman is killed by a partner or ex-partner in England and Wales every five days and over 100 women were killed by men in 2025. 

It marks the latest move in her extensive career in violence against women and girls (VAWG) advocacy, inspired by the killing of her best friend Jo Simpson in 2010 – a loss that continues to shape Hetti’s deeply personal understanding of the lasting impact that violence against women has on families and communities. 

In a powerful show of solidarity, fellow Refuge supporters, including Hetti’s close friend Melanie Staff-Parsons, will run the London Marathon wearing identical butterfly capes, turning remembrance into a call to action that cannot be ignored. 

With thanks to Wonderstruck Films. 

Reflecting on her training, Hetti Barkworth-Nanton, said:

“I started my training back in November, knowing there were women still alive who would be represented on this cape. That was almost unbearable to comprehend – but it’s also exactly why it’s so vital to improve public awareness. The London Marathon is a hugely powerful way to force the fatal consequences of domestic abuse into public view, ensuring we can reach people who might not otherwise engage with conversations about VAWG. 

The upcoming parole hearing of Robert Brown, who killed my dear friend Jo Simpson, serves as a stark reminder that sadly, a sentence is rarely the end. For those bereaved by domestic abuse, parole can be deeply re-traumatising, forcing loved ones to relive their loss and the trauma that surrounds it all over again. It feels like more than a coincidence that this is all happening at the same time – with the parole hearing set to take place just two days before the London Marathon. 

This isn’t just about running a marathon – it’s about making sure that we remember the life of every woman who has been killed because of male violence. As services like Refuge face an underfunding crisis, this is also a critical time for fundraising to ensure that all survivors of abuse can access the lifesaving support they need and deserve.” 

View the film, here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=541QSEZM3Sc 

To sponsor Hetti and help her make a difference, go to www.justgiving.com/page/hetti-barkworth-nanton-2. To find out more about Refuge, visit www.refuge.org.uk. 

Follow Hetti’s marathon journey on Instagram, here: Hetti Nanton (@hettbn) • Instagram photos and videos