Michael Smith, regional community cohesion co-ordinator for Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, Carmarthenshire and Powys, with specific responsibility for modern slavery and hate crime, organised a Safer Pembrokeshire exhibition at the Pembrokeshire County Show in order to increase awareness of the issues involved.

Soroptimist International Tenby was proud to take part in this event, as many statutory agencies, such as Border Force, Victim Support, Women’s Aid and Anti-Drug Abuse were also present.

SI Tenby programme action officer for modern slavery Dr. Anne Kelly was therefore able to showcase SI Tenby’s on-going programme to raise awareness of modern slavery. Fellow Soroptimist Mary Fleming assisted Dr. Kelly in setting up the display prior to the show and throughout Tuesday, whilst SI Tenby members Pam Maggs, Pat Matthews and Lindsay Oeppen were able to offer support for part of the day.

Only a week ago, SI Tenby was mentioned in a report given at the United Nations, for their pioneering work on increasing awareness of modern slavery since 2007. This work contributed to the Welsh Government’s sterling efforts to prevent the crime in Wales. Later, the regional body for Soroptimist International, SI Wales South, joined in the campaign, though by then Tenby had already lobbied local MPs and Westminster Parliament campaigning for new legislation to abolish this crime, maintaining local momentum by holding forums, competitions and various fund raising events involving many of Tenby’s schools and organisations in its work for the support of victims and the introduction of new laws. These laws have materialised in the new Modern Slavery Act and the Legislation for Transparency in the Supply Chain of Goods (2015 and 2016).

However, the crime is still escalating all over the UK. Currently there are 300 on-going police crime cases throughout the country. Wales is certainly not excluded; there have been several here and there is still much more to do. SI Wales South will continue their work with Dyfed-Powys Police Forum, led by CDI Ross Evans, to help eradicate this heinous crime. They are also joined by members of the health authorities, BAWSO, Barnardos Wales and the Pembrokeshire hoteliers. In addition, Michael Smith has implemented a policy for all the county councils in order to help tackle modern slavery. Particular concerns have focused on a recent scheme, initiated by Barnardos Wales, with a Westminster Government grant to provide a Children’s Advocate for South Wales, which has identified approximately forty affected children within the South Wales area. Only 10 per cent of these children had been trafficked into the country - the remainder were Welsh children, one of whom was only two, one three and one five years old. The remainder were teenagers. Such shocking facts cannot be tolerated in 21st century Wales and SI Tenby will continue to make modern slavery a priority for future programme action initiatives.

This was the first day of the County Show and large numbers visited the Dyfed-Powys Police exhibition, allowing Dr. Kelly and her team the opportunity to engage with a wide cross-section of visitors, offer information about human trafficking, and discuss ways to support the nationwide campaign to end modern slavery. Over 400 visitors to the County Show discussed the situation with SI Tenby members. Many were concerned and aware because of current TV publicity of the crime, and some had even known of the crime happening within Pembrokeshire. A large number took away posters and leaflets to display on community notice boards in order to raise awareness of modern slavery throughout Wales.

Dr. Kelly would like to thank Pembrokeshire County Council Representatives Michael Smith, Sinead Henehan and Jenny Hart for helping to make SI Tenby’s contribution to the police display at the 2016 Pembrokeshire County Show such a success. Many thanks are also extended to Dyfed-Powys Police for their warm hospitality. Please visit http://sigbi.tenby for more information about SI Tenby.