MORE than 4,000 people who live in the Oxford Diocese are thought to be caught up modern slavery.
To highlight the unseen victims in Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, members of Mothers’ Union groups spent the summer knitting and crocheting giant chains.
The final result, produced in collaboration with The Clewer Initiative the Church of England’s response to modern slavery, was unveiled in Reading Minster Church in St Mary’s Butts on Monday – anti-slavery day.
The giant chain was part of an exhibition organised by Maureen Weston, diocesan President of Mothers’ Union. The displays, telling the story of modern slavery – such as force labour, sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, and domestic servitude.
Ms Weston said: “Anti-Slavery Day provides a perfect opportunity to raise awareness. The handicraft project has been particularly well received because it is a way for people to get involved without having to gather in big numbers or attend events.
“The eye-catching chains have enabled us to raise awareness of the presence of modern victims in slavery to a much wider audience. They are a powerful symbol and we hope that the 1,460 links will help people begin to grasp the true scale and horror of the issue in our communities.”
This view was echoed by Caroline Virgo, director of The Clewer Initiative, who said both it and the Mothers Union are committed to ending modern slavery in the UK.
“The craft chain project is a simple way in which we are attempting to awaken local communities to the horror of slavery and challenge people to find out more about the issue,” she said.
“We are often told by frontline workers in statutory services that any way of getting the message about modern slavery to a general demographic is useful. We hope that each chain will result in many conversations about modern slavery and people resolving to take concrete action.”
