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Modern slavery doesn't relent. Support us so we don't have to either, until we see freedom for all.

In 2024, The Clewer Initiative became an independent charity, funded by several trusts and donors.

Being independent means we can create an important and unique space in which church and non-church actors can meet as equal partners and collaborators. However independence does mean we rely on donations from individuals, trusts and foundations to continue the vital work of mobilising the Church and local communities to take action against modern slavery. 

Our vision

We believe in a future free from modern slavery and exploitation, one in which the church, faith and community groups, play active and purposeful roles in prevention, protection, and restoration in our communities. We are working towards the following impacts:

• Communities are mobilised to recognise, understand and respond to modern slavery and exploitation.
• Communities have stronger local responses, improved safeguarding practices and increased knowledge to prevent and respond to modern slavery and exploitation.
• The experience and collective voice of churches, faith communities and partners influence national systems, policy and practice, contributing to lasting change in the modern slavery sector.
• Communities are better equipped to protect vulnerable people, prevent modern slavery and exploitation, respond effectively when it occurs, and restore safety, wellbeing and opportunity for those affected.

We do most of this for free! Your support can help us connect with and mobilise new groups, support new resources, deliver training and see freedom be the heartbeat of our communities.

The need

There is an urgent and obvious need to raise awareness of modern slavery and equip individuals and communities to know how to spot the signs of slavery and report suspicions so that criminal gangs are disrupted and victims rescued.

Time and again, law enforcement officers state that the single most useful thing we can do at The Clewer Initiative is to educate the public about the crime. The Police and statutory bodies are entirely reliant on members of the public to be their eyes and ears and report suspicions. That is the only way traffickers will be thwarted and modern slavery stamped out. Church groups of many denominations are present in all communities, yet The Clewer Initiative is the only organisation working nationally to challenge and catalyse churches to improve their response.

There is also a huge need to mobilise churches to care for the most vulnerable in society and help build resilient communities where traffickers and exploiters cannot get a foothold. This preventative element to our work is vital as it recognises that vulnerability in both individuals and communities can lead (often by increments) to modern slavery and exploitation. We seek to enable and empower churches to recognise and interrupt this cycle.

A strategic opportunity

Because the church is present in all communities and at the heart of many, it is in a unique position to take action against modern slavery. We believe the will and ability to end modern slavery exist in every church community and that communities can be mobilised with no or minimal financial cost to ourselves.

The church has the ability to work through government and civil structures right down to the grassroots. We have sought to harness this strategic position by working closely with Cathedrals, Dioceses and local parishes, pioneering, resourcing and supporting projects and partnerships.

Benefact Trust

We are particularly grateful to Benefact Trust which has given us a grant from its Community Impact Grants Programme. This grant has enabled us to keep this website and our socials fresh with information and resources, and has also made our Lent courses freely available to download and inform communities around the country.