Story
🔐 THE STORY
On Tuesday 2 September, I will be ceremonially arrested at the historic Bow Street Museum and taken — under vintage red bus escort — to the Tower of London, where I will be locked away unless I raise a £1,500 "release fee".
Why? Because I had the temerity to speak my mind during a (fictional!) magistrate's debate. Now, the Yeoman Warders have me marked down for incarceration.
But there’s hope — and it’s you.
I need your help to raise £1,500 in aid of the British Red Cross, whose real-world work changes lives every day. This is all part of their brilliant “Escape the Tower” campaign — fusing pageantry with purpose.
🔥 WHO AM I?
I’m Andrew Phillips JP, currently serving as:
Master of the Worshipful Company of Firefighters,
Master of the Tower Ward Club,
Retired Senior Officer of the London Fire Brigade,
Justice of the Peace, and
A lifelong servant of public and community life in our City and beyond.
Service has shaped my life — from the fireground to the court bench, to the ancient traditions of the City. Now, I’m asking for your support to serve one more time — by raising vital funds for those in need.
❤️ WHY THE BRITISH RED CROSS?
The British Red Cross provides life-saving assistance in times of crisis — here in the UK and around the world. They support refugees, respond to emergencies, offer first aid, and stand beside those affected by war, disaster or trauma.
Your donation will help provide:
Emergency shelter and aid to people who have lost everything
Hygiene and survival kits for families in crisis
Emotional and practical support for victims of emergencies and displacement
💷 WHERE YOUR SUPPORT GOES
Every pound donated brings me closer to freedom — and someone else closer to hope.
£10 could buy food and water for a displaced family
£25 might fund hygiene kits and warm bedding
£100+ will directly aid a crisis response team in the field
📸 WHAT HAPPENS ON THE NIGHT?
- Arrest at Bow Street Museum
- Ride in a red Routemaster to the Tower of London
- A “final supper" & Witness the Ceremony of the Keys, the ancient nightly locking of the Tower
- Escape... only if the full amount is raised
🧯 CAN YOU HELP?
Please donate whatever you can — and if you can’t, please share this page with friends, family, and fellow City folk. Let’s show that tradition and purpose can walk side by side in service of something bigger than ourselves.
Help me escape the Tower — and support the Red Cross in doing what they do best: saving lives.
With heartfelt thanks,
Andrew Phillips JP