Islington Council offers free training for anyone who wants to help tackle discrimination and support people who experience hate crimes.  We spoke to Matthew Morrall, Investigations Manager at Newlon Housing Trust, about becoming a hate crime prevention champion and why the training matters. 

Why did you become a hate crime prevention champion?

I lead the investigations team at Newlon, a charitable housing association. We respond to hate crime, support victims and deal with disputes in and around our homes across North and East London, including in Islington. Towards the end of 2024 we started seeing more reports of hate crimes, so taking on this role felt like the right thing to do and a good way to strengthen our response.  

You received free training to become a hate crime prevention champion. What did you learn?

The training was useful and gave us fresh ideas that we’ve already put into practise.  I learned more   about the different forms hate crime can take and the lasting impact it can have on people. It’s something I talk about openly, including with my own children. I’m doing the training again soon as a refresher to make sure I haven’t overlooked anything.  

What have you achieved in your role so far?

Before becoming a champion, some incidents may have been recorded   as anti-social behaviour rather than a hate crime. That doesn’t happen now. I’ve shared the guidance with my team and delivered training to front-line colleagues who speak to residents every day.  We’re now better at recognising hate crime quickly, offering support and encouraging to people to report incidents to the police. We’ve also started sharing information about hate crime and reporting routes in our resident newsletters.  

What would you say to someone thinking about becoming a hate crime prevention champion?

I’d recommend it to anyone. It really opens your eyes to what’s happening around you.  A lot of hate crime goes unreported, and people often suffer in silence. Whether you use the training in your job or in your community, it helps you respond faster and better support those affected.  

Find out more about becoming a hate crime prevention champion by emailing HateCrime@islington.gov.uk