In 2015 local theatre company Rah Rah Theatre Company, created a powerful theatrical interpretation of the degradation of human trafficking called “My Mind is Free”.

The production worked as an outreach programme to inform audiences of this horrific crime. The project was linked with 7 different anti trafficking charities. The production was performed at 20 different venues across London. It received fantastic reviews from the media and was nominated for the Human Trafficking Foundation's Anti-Slavery Day media awards in the category of `best stage production dealing with modern slavery/human trafficking'. Rah Rah was invited to the House of Commons for the award ceremony in October last year hosted by the Home Secretary.

The play is about the interlinked stories of four trafficked victims in this country and their horrifying tales of abuse, exploitation and enslavement. The characters are typical of those who are unwittingly and unwillingly forced into prostitution, forced labour, and domestic servitude. It is effective in raising public awareness and promoting social change so that individuals know what slavery looks like, where it happens and what to do about it.

Due to the success of the initial project, Rah Rah has been invited to work with the Salvation Army who run the UK government's contract to manage support services for adult female and male victims of modern slavery.

They will be taking the production to Edinburgh as part of the 2017 Fringe Festival. Alongside the production they will also be piloting an educational scheme on human trafficking that they plan to bring back to London for the local community after the festival.

The company is hosting a charity event to raise funds for the project at The Glass House in New Malden on the 1st of April 2017 8pm. The event will be a fabulous night of music featuring the Rawhides – a Blues Brothers tribute act.

For more information go to www.therawhides.eventbrite.co.uk or visit the company’s website www.mymindisfree.com To find out more about human trafficking and how we as a community can make a difference please contact your local Act For Justice Group in New Malden (a group that meets to support the human trafficking charity Hope for Justice). Please call 07944 868 358 for more details.

Article supplied by Jude Spooner