With Freedom Week taking place between the 13 to 20 October and Anti-Slavery Day on Friday 18 October, churches across the Diocese are encouraged to take up the opportunity to help raise awareness of the problem of Modern Slavery.
A series of Diocesan hosted event are taking place throughout the week and materials are also being made available from The Clewer Initiative - the Church of Englands initiative to tackle modern slavery - with whom the Diocese is in partnership,.
Resources ready to download and use include: sermons, creative activities, moving true stories which can be read out, posters.
Endorsing the week, Bishop Simon Burton-Jones has also contributed a new prayer which will be shared nationally.
Find all the resources, including the prayer, here
Events to take part in include:
- 6 October (until lunchtime) - Gillingham High Street: Modern Slavery awareness event.
- 8 October (all day) - Pentagon Centre, Chatham: Medway Anti-Slavery Champions will be raising awareness about the human trafficking of Homeless people.
- 16 October (9.30am – 11am) - St Augustine’s Gillingham, Places of Welcome cafe. Awareness Raising event.
- 19 October (11.30am – 2pm) - Chatham Square: Large event raising awareness via stories, teaching and song in the main square led by the Medway Anti-Slavery Champions.
Caroline Clarke, Community Engagement said:
"As a community of faith here in the Diocese of Rochester, we are commited to helping iradicate this human injustice in our communities.
"We are blessed to have a network of anti-slavery champions who are able to support churches in this work.
"When there is so much uncertainty in our country, lets be a voice of hope for all. Lets take this opportunity to join in with hundreds of other people around the country and take action to end Modern Slavery."
If anyone would like to volunteer or be kept up to date with anti-slavery work in the Diocese, please email: caroline.clarke@rochester.anglican.org