Posted on: 16th April 2024

The purpose of the event was for us to facilitate a conversation between those who specialise in working with Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking and those who live, work, volunteer or serve in local neighbourhoods. Through raising awareness it would enable local people to not only understand what modern slavery and Human trafficking is and how to recognise it but also how to report it and how to prevent it, to help put an end to modern slavery in Leeds and beyond.

Wellsprings Together is intentional about bringing other organisations and individuals who work in this area together to work collaboratively. This event brought together some giants in the fight against Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking - The Clewer Initiative, international organisation Hope for Justice and West Yorkshire Deputy Mayor Alison Lowe OBE who has responsibility for crime and policing and who is also Chair of West Yorkshire Anti-Slavery Partnership (WYASP) and Church Urban Fund. 

This free event was only made possible by the funding received from Near Neighbours administered through the Church Urban Fund. Near Neighbours funding brings together people in community who are religiously and ethnically diverse so that they can build relationships of trust and collaboration with the objective to work with each other on initiatives that transform communities.

Those who attended the event came from different faith and cultural communities, foodbanks, other third sector organisations, statutory sector and people from the community who wanted to gain an understanding about Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking. 

The Partners
 

Clewer Initiative – Caroline Virgo CEO
The Clewer Initiative is a church of England project funded largely by the Clewer Sisters which are an order of Anglican nuns who donate generously to causes related to the eradication of human trafficking.  The Clewer Initiative believe that ‘the tools to end modern slavery already exist within the local community and that the Church, which is present in all communities and at the heart of many, has a primary responsibility in leading these efforts.’
 
Hope for Justice – UK Hub Manager Tomas
Hope for Justice is an important player in fighting human trafficking and helping victims and survivors all around the world. Their work is only possible because of a growing global movement of ordinary people who support this life-changing work in many different ways.