Join us at 7pm on Thursday 21 November for an insightful talk by Bishop Alastair Redfern on the Clewer Initiative, the Church of England’s campaign against modern slavery. Learn about the steps being taken to combat exploitation and how communities can get involved. The session will include a Q&A, providing an opportunity to ask questions and engage with this important issue.

Bishop Alastair Redfern has had a long involvement with seeking to reach out to vulnerable people and encourage churches and other community actors to make appropriate responses. In Oxford, he was involved in setting up a hostel for the homeless, which raised the issue of vulnerability that was largely hidden. In Bristol, he was involved in responding to the often-brutal exploitation of young people in the sex trade. In Lincoln, he discovered that seasonal workers were often being oppressed and abused. In the Diocese of Derby, he began to develop forums for exploring issues around modern slavery and making appropriate responses. As a member of the House of Lords, he was involved in helping craft the Modern Slavery Act and national responses to this terrible crime.

These projects led to the foundation of The Clewer Initiative, when he was approached by the trustees of the Clewer sisters with a view to continuing the work they had been founded to undertake in the 19th century, in a more contemporary way. He serves as the chair of The Clewer Initiative and works internationally in the fight against modern slavery through the Global Sustainability Network, and the Anglican Alliance.