Support modern slavery survivors: donate to our Big Give Christmas appeal

UPDATE: The Big Give Christmas Appeal is over for 2024. You donated an amazing £75,241 to help provide vital wellbeing support to survivors of exploitation. You can still donate in support of our work or fundraise for us.

Every day, many of us enjoy the freedom to make choices about our time, work, and relationships. For survivors of modern slavery and exploitation, these basic freedoms are taken away, sometimes for years.

The journey from exploitation to freedom is challenging. But with the right support, survivors can begin to reclaim independence, heal from trauma, and rebuild their lives.

For one week only, Tuesday 3 December – Tuesday 10 December 2024, the Big Give match funding campaign will double your donation at no extra cost to you. Your support can provide modern slavery survivors with opportunities to experience hope and freedom.

The power of wellbeing in trauma recovery

Leaving exploitation is just the beginning of recovery. Individuals impacted by exploitation face complex obstacles to regaining control of their lives.

"After suffering trauma, it takes time to come to your senses and forget the evil."

Recently, as snow fell in the UK, a resident at one of Unseen’s safe houses reflected on her healing journey. Her note, pictured below, shows how vital it is for survivors of exploitation to form new, positive memories. 

Programmes that foster freedom and wellbeing

Programmes like our Wellbeing Cafe create safe, trauma-informed spaces where survivors engage in meaningful activities and build supportive communities. These opportunities help survivors restore confidence and shape new futures.

"Now that the Wellbeing Cafe has been running for a year, we can’t imagine a time without it. Watching the friendships form through the cafe is wonderful; I often see groups leaving together after a session to continue spending time with one another. These safe, welcoming spaces don’t just provide support—they foster a sense of belonging and hope, both of which are essential for survivors on their journey to healing and rebuilding their lives."

2025: Your opportunity to impact the lives of survivors

At Unseen, we are dedicated to creating opportunities that foster hope, resilience, and empowerment. Every day, we deliver life-changing support to help survivors of modern slavery rebuild their lives and reclaim their independence.

This week only, your donation goes even further. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, every pound you give will be matched through pledged funding. This match doubles your impact at no extra cost to you.

Your support already transforms lives. Survivors are finding hope and connection through initiatives like Unseen’s Wellbeing Café, and our trauma-informed care. Together, we can expand this vital work, and offer  survivors more opportunities to heal and thrive.

Help fill 2025 with hope and empowerment for modern slavery survivors. For one week only, starting midday 3 December, double your impact by donating to our Big Give Appeal.

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Justine Currell

As I came to understand more about the issue, including through a visit to an Unseen safehouse, I knew I needed to do more to stop this abuse and exploitation.

For the last five years of my Civil Service career, I was the Modern Slavery Senior Policy Advisor in the Home Office and led on development of the Modern Slavery Act, including the transparency in supply chains provision and business guidance.

I joined Unseen to lead the development of the Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline, and Unseen’s work with businesses. I am regularly called upon to present at national and international conferences and use my experience of working with Ministers to influence other governments internationally to take action to address modern slavery and, in particular, business supply chain issues.

In my spare time I enjoy keeping fit, music, reading and travelling.

Andrew Wallis

What ultimately compelled me to act was a report on how people from Eastern Europe were being trafficked through Bristol airport to the USA. Kate Garbers, who went on to be an Unseen Director, and I wrote to all the city councillors, MPs and the Police Chief Constable challenging them on the issue. The challenge came back to us: this city needs safe housing for trafficked women. And so Unseen began.

But we never wanted Unseen to be just about safe housing. We wanted to end slavery once and for all, and that remains our driving focus.

I chaired the working group for the Centre for Social Justice’s landmark report “It Happens Here: Equipping the United Kingdom to Fight Modern Slavery”. This is now acknowledged as the catalyst behind the UK’s Modern Slavery Act of 2015. It was a great honour to be awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours that year. On the other hand, I’ve also been described as “the loveliest disrupter you could ever hope to meet”.

This job has taken me from building flat-pack furniture for safehouses, to working with businesses to address slavery in supply chains, to delivering training, raising awareness and advising governments around the world.

When not at work, I enjoy travelling, spending time with my dog Harley, cooking, supporting Liverpool and Yorkshire CC, music (I’m a former DJ) and endurance events such as the Three Peaks Challenge and Tribe Freedom Runs – which I vow never to do again. Until the next time.