Arundel & Brighton: Human Trafficking Conference

Sr Patricia Mulhall presents Pope Francis with St Brigid's Cross during RENATE conference

The Diocese of Arundel & Brighton, covering Sussex and Surrey, is hosting an important Conference on Human Trafficking at the St Philip Howard Centre (formerly DABCEC), 4 Southgate Drive, Crawley, RH10 6RP on Saturday 26 January from 9.30am-3.30pm.

Bishop Richard Moth of the Diocese of Arundel & Brighton will be attending the conference to welcome the speakers and to support the important work Pope Francis has called the Catholic Church to do in tackling Human Trafficking.

Speakers include Mick Duthie of the Santa Marta Group which was set up by Pope Francis to bring governments, police forces and the Church to tackle the scourge of human trafficking. Mick who is formerly a senior London Met police force and is now Deputy Director of the Santa Marta Group. He is responsible for the creation and development of local networks across diocese in England and Wales and beyond by bring senior police and church leaders together to eradicate modern slavery.

Another speaker is Richard Lancashire the Sussex Modern Slavery Manager for Sussex police. A former policeman he brings his expertise working as a policeman in Modern slavery and Organised Immigration Crime. He now works to tackle this issue in Sussex.

A third speaker is Sister Patricia Mulhall, a Brigidine sister working on Human Trafficking since 2003 and is part of the network of religious sisters working to tackle this issue in this country and across the world. She helped found TRAC UK to educate, advocate and campaign on behalf of victims.

Finally, Deacon Roger Stone was the Apostleship of the Sea Port Chaplain for Southampton and the south coast of England. During his ministry with Apostleship of the Sea, Roger has encountered many different challenging problems but helping victims of human trafficking and modern slavery ranks high among the most difficult and important.

In the afternoon there will be a number of workshops around various justice issues including Human Trafficking.

Tessa Ricketts, Social Action Adviser for the Diocese said: "I am pleased this important conference is fully booked. The conference will inform the many people from our Diocese who are due to attend, and enable us in the Diocese to be part of the initiative of Pope Francis to tackle this modern scourge and bring an end to Human Trafficking."

For more information see: www.dabnet.org