These are our Champions of Choice. They are people who have campaigned for or dedicated much of their working lives to supporting women’s reproductive choice. We celebrate their commitment and believe they are an inspiration to us all.
Sarah Ewart
Sarah Ewart is a Northern Irish woman who travelled to England for an abortion in 2013, having received the heartbreaking news at her 20-week scan that her baby had anencephaly and would not survive. Ewart is mounting a legal challenge to Northern Ireland’s restrictive abortion law, which prevented her from receiving the care she needed in her own country.
The Atfield Family
The Atfield family – three teenagers and their dad – are walking from Pisa to Rome, all in aid of BPAS! Follow their journey on twitter @choicewalkers, or you can donate to support them here. Thank you, Atfields!
Ealing Council
Ealing Council became the first local authority to bring in a safe zone outside an abortion clinic last year, and has recently resisted a legal challenge from anti-choice campaigners. It’s fantastic to see them protecting women in the area, along with local residents’ group Sister Supporter. Keep up the good work, Ealing!
Doctors for Choice UK
Doctors for Choice UK is a coalition of UK-based doctors supporting and campaigning for the decriminalisation of abortion. They are also working with young clinicians to inspire the next generation of abortion providers.
Jamie-Lee O’Donnell
Jamie-Lee O’Donnell starred in I told my mum I was going on an RE trip – an honest, moving new drama which tells real women’s experiences of abortion in their own words. O’Donnell played a woman who had to travel from Northern Ireland to access care. The play was broadcast on BBC2 in January – catch up on iPlayer here.
Dr Asha Kasliwal
Dr Asha Kasliwal is President of the Faculty of Sexual & Reproductive Health (FSRH), which in November 2017 joined the Royal College of Midwives, British Medical Association and Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists in officially supporting the decriminalisation of abortion.
Professor Lesley Regan
Professor Lesley Regan is President of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. In September 2017, the RCOG voted overwhelmingly in support of decriminalising abortion.
Jess Phillips MP
Jess Phillips MP is chair of the Women’s PLP and has tirelessly supported women’s reproductive choices. In July 2017 she coordinated a letter to Boots in support of our campaign for cheaper emergency contraception.
Stella Creasy MP
Stella Creasy is the Labour MP for Walthamstow. In June 2017 she was instrumental in securing government-funded abortion services for Northern Irish women who travel to England for treatment. Supported by the bpas My Pledge Her Choice campaign, Creasy tabled an amendment to the Queen’s speech, which was signed by over 100 MPs, forcing the government to review their unfair policy. Writing in the Guardian, Creasy said the 50th anniversary of the Abortion Act, “also marks 50 years of differential treatment for women in Northern Ireland. While the secretary of state may be content to treat Northern Irish women in this way, MPs across parliament are not.”
Diana Johnson MP
Diana Johnson is the Labour MP for Hull North. On 13 March 2017 she tabled the Reproductive Health (Access to Terminations) Bill to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales up to 24 weeks. This was the first bill in 50 years to improve our abortion law and it was passed by 172 votes to 142. You can watch her incredible House of Commons speech here, and read her piece explaining why she proposed this bill here.