Modern slavery rose planting contributes to fight against UK slavery

Organisations across the North of England, including The University of Manchester, have been planting specially bred roses to highlight the fight against modern slavery. Modern slavery involving human trafficking for sexual or labour exploitation, cannabis farming, child labour exploitation, forced begging, organ trafficking and domestic servitude is thought to involve upwards of 13,000 people at any one time in the UK and numbers are increasing.

Rosemary Broad, Lecturer in Criminology within the School of Law at the University, has been researching human trafficking and modern slavery for nearly 10 years, most recently working with colleagues in the School of Law and Greater Manchester Police (GMP) on “Mapping the Contours of Modern Slavery in Greater Manchester”. Rosemary also volunteers with the Manchester Branch of Stop the Traffik, a global movement to prevent human trafficking, and was asked by Stop the Traffik’s York group if we could plant a flower to raise awareness in Manchester.

The modern slavery rose was planted in Whitworth Park in May and Rosemary was supported on the day by Hannah Flint, a member of Stop the Traffik currently seconded to work with GMP’s Modern Slavery Team, who funded the purchase of the rose. Also present were colleagues from the University’s Procurement Office, who have been leading on the development of the University’s modern slavery statement under the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and have been doing great work to ensure transparency in the University’s supply chain.

The rose is available for everyone to see in Whitworth Park and will shortly be joined by a plaque commemorating its purpose. Further information on the development of the rose can be seen on the Dickson Rose website.