PUNCH the play: Q&A with restorative justice campaigner Jacob Dunne

Learning lunch with author and campaigner Jacob Dunne about using lived experience to drive change

We’re passionate about how popular culture drawn from real experiences can drive public conversations and help drive change. 

Author and campaigner for restorative justice Jacob Dunne has seen key moments in his life played out on stage. Playwright James Graham transformed Jacob’s account of his own crime, punishment, rehabilitation and redemption into PUNCH, currently showing at the Young Vic.

Join us for free on 10 April, from 1-2pm online, to hear from Jacob about his journey and how it feels to have your story spark a national conversation.

Join for free here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/zfso_a4kQ3GcF0U09yZNgA

Add to your calendar: bit.ly/3E3SIs5

Jacob Dunne is an author, campaigner, presenter, and educator, working across the justice, health, education, and corporate sectors.

In July 2011, at 19 years old, Jacob’s life changed forever when a single act of violence resulted in the death of James Hodgkinson. As a result he received a two-and-a-half-year custodial sentence for manslaughter of which he served 14 months. After leaving prison Jacob found himself homeless, unemployed and struggling to get his life back on track. However, with the encouragement of his victim’s parents, he transformed his life, becoming a passionate advocate for restorative justice and societal change.

In 2020, Jacob presented The Punch, a BBC Radio 4 series exploring the impact of violent crime and the potential for redemption. The series won the ARIA Award for Best Factual Series in 2021. He is also a former Longford Scholar and holds a first-class honours degree in Criminology.

Jacob’s book, Right From Wrong, furthers his campaign against violence and promotes restorative practices as a solution to division, crime, and hate. His message has reached over 100 million people across various media platforms. Most recently, Right From Wrong was adapted into PUNCH, a stage production by Olivier award-winning playwright James Graham. After a sell-out premiere at Nottingham Playhouse, the play is on stage at the Young Vic Theatre in London in 2025.

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