'Renny' and 'Sage' need your help

Here's the situation:

Our friend, an adoring and attentive parent ("Renny"), is fighting a legal battle to keep their child ("Sage") in England. Sage has a stable, loving home with Renny in London. Following divorce, Sage lives between parents and their respective families. Sage and Renny have an incredible bond. Sage’s other parent is British but seeks the Court’s permission to relocate Sage permanently and internationally to a country that is six time zones away in order to pursue an ill-conceived entrepreneurial plan! Alarmingly, this plan to relocate Sage from everything they have ever known would move them to an area with limited healthcare and education options.

Crucially, this move would severely constrain Renny’s ability to remain a part of Sage’s life especially as the country does not recognise Renny’s parental rights, as the non-birthing parent in a same-sex marriage. Despite family planning as a married couple, choosing the donor and being present for every moment of birthing and beyond, this relocation country does not recognise Renny as Sage’s parent.

This proposed move is mired in risk for Sage and would ultimately devastate both child and parent with lifelong negative consequences.

Our friend is now in a legal battle in the English family court to defend this application and to protect their child’s welfare. The legal costs are expensive and much higher than anticipated, but the stakes are too high for Renny to defend this legal application on their own without the benefit of legal representation.

Why this matter:

Sage’s emotional and mental health are at stake. Sage is deeply connected to their home here, and this sudden change would disrupt their sense of security and stability, causing immense emotional distress. In London, Sage alternates weeks between two homes with three loving parents (their stepmother being the third) and two grandparents. They have lived in London since before they were one year old and have come to deeply enjoy live music, museum visits, and playdates with a really diverse and loving social circle. They have already begun to feel the toll of this situation, exhibiting a lot of separation anxiety, and Renny is doing everything possible to provide them with consistency, safety, and love.

What is more, keeping Sage in England means that Renny’s rights as a parent will continue to be recognised.

Our community member has self-funded the legal costs of defending this legal case for seven months, but there are five more remaining and they cannot continue to shoulder the financial burden of legal costs on their own.

Our request is about safeguarding Sage and ensuring they can grow up in the care of a family network that loves them deeply. Without robust legal representation, this rash relocation plan could be allowed by the Court which would be so damaging to Sage’s future.

What's next?

Renny needs legal representation (solicitor and barrister) at two crucial hearings - for a total of five full days which will most likely end in the Spring 2025. Therefore, the funds raised will be critical in helping them secure the legal representation needed to fight for the best interests of their child and their own legal rights as a parent.

We aim to raise £30,000 to cover these legal costs. Your donations, no matter the size, will be used for legal costs to try to persuade a Judge that Sage needs to stay in England with Renny.

Thank you for your support!

Your generosity and understanding in this difficult time will make a lasting impact on this family’s future. Please consider donating and sharing this story with your networks. Together, we can ensure that Sage remains in the loving home they know with their adoring parent, step-family, and established community.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for your solidarity during this heartbreaking struggle.