There are well over 13,000 people being kept in modern slavery in the UK today. Here at The Meeting Place, we stand in partnership with Baptists Together and the Church of England’s Clewer Initiative, united in our revulsion of and committed in our response to this scourge on our society.  

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The National Crime Agency states: "As you go about your normal daily life there is a growing chance that you will come across a victim who has been exploited and that's why we are asking the public to recognise their concerns and report them."

The UK’s Independent Anti-Slavery Commissioner, Kevin Hyland, notes ‘Faith groups have influence, insight and rare avenues into the community. They are therefore a powerful tool in the fight against modern slavery’. 

As Baptists, if we are seeking to follow Jesus in his mission, we follow him in 'setting the captives fee'. When slavery is happening on the doorsteps of our churches, we must respond in order to protect and safeguard.

How do we do this? From today we commit to:

• See our communities and streets with new eyes. Do we see those being kept in slavery around us? Do we know how to spot the signs of someone in slavery? Are individuals isolated?  Is their story scripted? Are they being controlled?

• Take action if we suspect someone is being kept as a slave by phoning the Modern Slavery National Helpline (08000 121700).  www.modernslaveryhelpline.org

• Partnering together and consulting. We are stronger when we work together to fight this injustice.