Bristol Idles drummer runs 104km for women's safety charity

  • Published
Related Topics
Jon BeavisImage source, Jon Beavis
Image caption,

Mr Beavis said: "It was a challenge - it definitely made me run more because I knew there was an end goal and a reason for doing it"

The drummer from Idles has run 104km in one month to raise money for a charity supporting women's safety.

Jon Beavis, from Bristol, took on the challenge of running more than 64 miles after learning more about the Reclaim the Streets events.

He has raised more than £5,500 for women's charity Rosa.

He said: "When the news of Sarah Everard came up, I think it shocked a lot of guys I know because we're almost blind to it."

Sarah Everard's body was found in woodland in Kent more than a week after she was last seen on 3 March.

The 33-year-old visited a friend in the Clapham Junction area but never arrived from walking home. She was reported missing the next day.

PC Wayne Couzens, 48, has been charged with the murder and kidnap of Ms Everard.

Idles are known for their strong stance on women's safety, previously touring with the organisation Safe Gigs for Women.

Image caption,

Left to right: Idles guitarist Mark Bowen, bassist Adam Devonshire, singer Joe Talbot, guitarist Lee Kiernan, drummer Jon Beavis

Mr Beavis said: "We're all very vocal if we see anything happening in our shows; we always try to stamp it out."

However, Mr Beavis said he and his male friends were shocked by the number of stories female friends told them about - in regards to their experiences with some men.

"I talked to loads of friends about it, even my partner and she said, yeah it happens, at least once a week. There's always something happening. That was just a big shock.

"It's a very bad thing to say but it just wasn't part of my world."

Image source, Jon Beavis
Image caption,

Mr Beavis said he set a fundraising goal of £1,000, which he thought was "going to be tough to get", but it was reached on the first day

Throughout April he often ran with female friends who shared their stories along the way.

He said: "It was a conversation that needed to be more in the limelight and doing it for this whole month kept it in that limelight."

Mr Beavis said the challenge was tough and thanked the "generous people" who donated.

Idles will be performing at Live at Worthy Farm, Glastonbury Festival's live streamed event, on 22 May.

Related Internet Links

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites.