Last month, we caught up with Through Unity chairman John Strutton for a quick chat about his aspirations for Through Unity and his message for members. We hope you enjoy the conversation; and if there’s anyone you’d like to see us in conversation with, please send your suggestions to admin@throughunity.com.

Hi John, it’s a pleasure to speak to you. Could you just give us a quick introduction of who you are and what you do please.

Hi, my name is John Strutton. I look after the crime and operational security on the transport system in London.

What was it about Through Unity that inspired you to stand for election, John?

In the past I’ve been involved in various charities — I used to be a director of Westminster Victim Support — and I’ve always had the intention or ambition to try and tie up the prevention element with the support that’s given to people should all efforts of prevention fail.

And what kinds of expertise and knowledge are you bringing to help the Through Unity family?

Aside from the experience of being part of charities in the past, I’m qualified in crime reduction and designing out crime; and I’m hoping I can bring the knowledge and experience I’ve gained to the support of others. I spent twelve years as a part time police officer with the British Transport Police, and I think that seeing victims of crime in real life, the effects that crime has on them and their families, is something that helps me to keep a focus on that support element.

What would you say your ambitions for Through Unity are?

I would like to see Through Unity as a part of an end-to-end service for people who are affected by crime. In fact, one of the things that I’ve already begun since joining the charity is to make contact with other services that are providing a form of judicial support to families who are seeking justice for their lost ones and in the hope that we can provide that support through the justice system for people, which is a complicated area and something that, unless you’ve had real dealings with the justice system, it can be a really dark and scary place for people. Beyond that element, I want to have Through Unity providing that safety net that can then come in and really provide the ongoing support for the families of victims.

And so John, if you had to describe what is special about Through Unity, what would it be for you?

For me, it’s that really important bit that’s missing in so much of crime victimisation, which is that ongoing continuing support for people who have been affected in terrible circumstances often by crime. If you look around at the rest of society and the institutions that are there handling justice and criminality, that support is so often missing. And so I think the work of Through Unity is incredibly important and needs to be encouraged and continued.

Finally, if you had a closing message, John, for the Through Unity family members who will be reading your words right now in this newsletter, what would it be?

We are here doing our level best to support you. We hope we’re helping you and we’re open to suggestions. We really want to hear what you’ve got to say about the services that you need, so that we can seek to improve and tailor our services to make them even more useful to yourselves.

If there’s anyone you’d like to see us in conversation with, please send your suggestions to admin@throughunity.com.

And if you’re interested in becoming a Through Unity trustee, visit this page for more details: www.throughunity.co.uk/workwithus