About
Project FREE
Hi, I am Ruth Sinhal, the Founding Director of Project FREE.
I am an ex-Primary teacher who taught across all Primary and Early Years Key Stages during my 25 year career.
In 2017, whilst teaching full-time, I set up Leicester UnitEd, an initiative to pair schools across the city of Leicester, with the aim of giving children opportunities to meet others they would not normally connect with in their day-to-day lives, and to build friendships while challenging stereotypes they may hold of 'others'.
In 2020 this was rebranded as The Leicester Schools Linking Project and a lasting connection to The Linking Network was established. In 2021 The Leicester Intergenerational Linking Project was also formed, offering opportunities to connect schools with care homes or other older people’s groups. Sadly, this programme is on hold until further funding is secured.
After five years delivering these linking projects as a freelancer or employee of a local charity, it became clear it was time to ‘break free’! And so in June 2024 Project FREE - Connecting Communities CIC was established to deliver the existing Schools Linking projects and offer a new range of initiatives reflecting my core values and goals.
In 2026 we rebranded and updated our website to how it looks today!
Statement of Purpose:
Project FREE is working for a more connected society, free from 'identity' based discrimination, prejudice, harassment and violence. By bringing people together to meet and take part in shared creative, collaborative learning experiences we seek to build connections across lines of perceived difference, break down misconceptions of 'others' and demonstrate how diversity is strength.
Our projects with children and young people aim to build self-esteem, nurture empathy, reduce prejudice and enhance critical thinking.
Our work with adults aims to equip and empower educators to enhance and enrich their knowledge, practice and pedagogy — through online learning events open to educators everywhere.
Rooted in radical hope, we disrupt the status quo in education to pursue social, racial and educational justice.
The philosophy of bell hooks sits at the heart of our work and we strive towards a future where all educators understand their role 'as the practice of freedom'.
"To teach in a manner that respects and cares for the souls of our students is essential if we are to provide the necessary conditions where learning can most deeply and intimately begin…" (hooks, 1994).
Read our 2025 Impact Report
