At Our Lady & St Thomas of Canterbury in Harrow-on-the-Hill, a remarkable youth team has gone the extra mile to raise awareness about Modern Slavery.
Comprised of nine girls aged 11-16, the group was established by dedicated parishioner and Caritas Representative Pili Malvezin, following encouragement from parish priest Fr Derek McGuire. Pili now runs the group with the support of youth leaders Rachel and Imelda, with the mission of engaging young people in the life of the parish.
The team has gone from strength to strength, and is actively involved in a variety of social action initiatives. Whether it’s a fundraising drive or a visit to the local nursing home, the group is instantly recognisable thanks to their custom-designed T-shirts, which are always paired with a smile. To ensure that their work has a solid spiritual foundation, the team also participate in Alpha Youth and regularly practice Lectio Divina.
This year, parish groups at Our Lady & St Thomas of Canterbury were invited to reflect on the Jubilee themes, and to consider how these might be the basis for putting their faith into action. The youth team was assigned the theme of Modern Slavery, and has worked hard to tackle the issue by raising both funds and awareness.
The group began by inviting their Development Worker from Caritas Westminster to speak about the vital work of Caritas Bakhita House, our safe house for survivors of trafficking and exploitation.
At Sunday Mass, the congregation learned about what can make people vulnerable to exploitation, and about how Caritas Bakhita House supports women with every aspect of the healing journey; from access to medical and psychological support to accompaniment, therapeutic activities, and practical skills to foster independence.
We shared how the work of the safe house is underpinned by the Catholic Social Teaching principle of Human Dignity, inviting the congregation to reflect more deeply on how faith calls us to recognise and uphold the dignity of others, especially in the face of injustice.
Inspired by the mission of Caritas Bakhita House, the girls sought to support the centre’s work and encourage the wider parish to do the same. To do this, they organised and coordinated a bake sale held after each of the four Masses taking place over the weekend — a huge effort that required careful planning and teamwork.
Thanks to the contributions of other bakers in the parish and the generosity of the community, the group raised almost £1,400 for Caritas Bakhita House; the highest amount made through a bake sale at the parish to date. To add to this, the group selected and purchased essential items such as clothing and toiletries for the safe house, which are often among the first things a guest receives when she is welcomed at the centre.
This personal gesture embodies the spirit of compassion that shapes the work of the youth team at Harrow-on-the-Hill. Their efforts to educate and encourage parishioners to support the most vulnerable highlight the power of young people to drive meaningful change in their communities, and to remind Catholics of all ages of our shared call to serve.
