Crook Athletics Club has planned an event for women – a social run around Bishop Auckland to highlight the movement that exists to challenge the difficulties women may face after dark.
The event, to take place on October 26th begins at 6pm and participants are asked to wear a head torch if possible. It is a fun, community run and part of the ‘Let’s Lift the Curfew’ campaign.
“Let’s Lift the Curfew” is a UK-wide movement led by This Girl Can and supported by England Athletics to challenge the ‘silent curfew’ women face after dark due to safety fears, especially during winter.
What the movement means
- The phrase does not refer to a legal curfew, but to the informal, safety‑driven restrictions many women feel after dark.
- Research shows 72% of women in the UK change their outdoor activity routines in winter because they feel unsafe
- This includes avoiding certain areas, sticking to well‑lit routes, or stopping outdoor activity altogether.
What “lifting the curfew” involves
- Community events such as night runs, walks, and group activities across the UK.
- Visibility actions: head torches, hi‑vis clothing, and group participation to symbolically “light up” streets and parks.
- Advocacy for safer public spaces, better lighting, cultural change, and stronger reporting frameworks.
Current and upcoming activities
- Annual events take place each autumn when clocks go back.
- In 2026, England Athletics is hosting a National Showcase Event on 29 October in Birmingham to highlight the campaign. englandathletics.org
“Lifting the curfew” means removing the safety‑driven limitations women face after dark by improving public environments, raising awareness, and creating visible community support.
