Please visit the new website for The March of the Abolitionists at: www.lifelineexpedition.co.uk/mota/index.htm A National Project for the Bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade The 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Slave Trade in the British Empire in 2007 is a significant event, providing a unique opportunity to reflect and learn from the past and to work together towards a better future. There is a single word in the West African Akan language called "SANKOFA" which means "we must learn from the past to build for the future." Walking together is one of the best ways for people to learn. The March of the Abolitionists is a journey of reconciliation in two parts in the spring and summer of 2007. Participants will be able to learn about the places and people associated with the history of slavery and abolition and will also be able to contribute to abolishing slavery in our own time. Anti-Slavery International estimates that there are 27 million children, women and men trapped in slavery today.
In the Sankofa Reconciliation Walk there will be a particular focus on learning about the contribution of Africans themselves to the abolition of the slave trade and also the unique contribution of women. The March of the Abolitionists: Part 1 - March 1-25
This walk from Hull to Westminster will be exactly 200 miles long - a mile for each year since the act was passed. With regard to the abolition of the slave trade in England, it is a curious fact that several key events occurred within a few miles of the Greenwich meridian line. William Wilberforce came from Hull and Thomas Clarkson from Wisbech, both places close to the meridian line. Thomas Clarkson wrote the essay on the slave trade, which changed his life in Cambridge and also committed his life to abolition at Wadesmill in Hertfordshire. Wilberforce made a similar commitment by the oak in Keston Kent and of course the bill was passed in Westminster. The Anti Slavery Society, which Clarkson started, is located in Stockwell. All of these places are close to the line. In 2000 a footpath was devised called the Meridian Way, which was used for the Jubilee 2000 Lifeline Walk. The initial intention was that this footpath should be used to raise funds for Africa. The walk in 2007 will provide an ideal opportunity to launch what can become an annual long distance walking fund raising event for African projects. Parliament voted to abolish the slave trade on February 24th and the Act became law at noon on March 25th. The end of the walk will coincide with the official statement of apology, which will be made by the Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace on March 24th. The March of the Abolitionists will provide a special opportunity for Anglicans to support the apology. The March of the Abolitionists: Part 2 - June 3 - July 11
Subtitled 'The Sankofa Reconciliation Walk' this journey will be an opportunity for many people not only to commemorate the anniversary itself, but also to raise awareness about slavery today and to raise funds for projects seeking to put an end to child trafficking in Africa. The main elements of the walk will be as follows:
* A commemorative walk from London to Bristol to Liverpool and back to London. This would be a triangular walk, mirroring the triangular trade, between the three major former slave ports in England. Manchester and Birmingham would be passed on the return from Liverpool. In this way the main cities with populations of Africans and Africans of the Diaspora would be visited.
* A core team of Africans, Africans of the Diaspora and Europeans walking throughout - a major feature will be a group of the Europeans walking in replica yokes and chains as a symbolic sign of apology for the slave trade.
* Producing an education pack on the slave trade, slavery today and reconciliation issues. *Inviting schools to participate in a continuous fund raising relay from school to school, joining the core team as it passes by for days or half days of sponsored walking.
* Using canals towpaths where possible as these were built partly from the profits of the trade. This would also be a safe route for schoolchildren and other participants. * Commemorating the achievements of those who helped to bring about the abolition of the slave trade by a special individual focus when we reach a place connected with that individual (e.g. remembering Olaudah Equiano in Greenwich and Josiah Wedgwood at Barlaston near Stoke-on-Trent and inviting descendants to join us at the same time.) *Raising funds for various projects in West Africa, the Caribbean and an inner-city project in England, but with a special focus on projects seeking to deal with the issue of child trafficking.
* Having "Freedom Feasts" in the major cities when the expedition passes through - multicultural celebrations of reconciliation and commemoration of Africans and Europeans who contributed to the abolition of the slave trade. The total distance is about 470 miles. The most appropriate time will be in June and July to allow for schools participation in the second half of term.
The Slave Coffle
A dramatic feature of the walk will be the slave coffle itself. Coffle' is the word used for people walking as a group in yokes and chains. This symbolic action has been taking place under the name of the Lifeline Expedition in recent years. The expedition is a series of reconciliation journeys, which constitute a response to the legacy of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. The first Lifeline Expedition journey was the Jubilee 2000 Lifeline Walk along the Greenwich meridian in England. Other expeditions have taken place in France (2002), Spain and Portugal (2003), the USA (2004), the Caribbean (2005) and West Africa (2006). A frequent reaction of Africans of the Diaspora was "At last! Now we feel that white people are taking our story seriously. Thank-you - but so much more needs to be done." White people walking in an attitude of humility in the slave coffle may still be controversial but would surely be more appropriate than any sort of triumphalist commemoration. It would certainly be in keeping with the attitude of William Wilberforce who once said "I mean to take the shame upon myself, in common indeed with the whole Parliament of Great Britain, for having suffered this horrid trade to be carried under their authority. We are all guilty - we ought all to plead guilty."
Resources Required
Networking and establishing partnerships. The March of the Abolitionists is currently supported by Anti-Slavery International, CARE, the Equiano Society, Hull City Council, Lewisham Borough Council, the International Reconciliation Coalition, the Northumbria Comminity, Peaceworks and Youth With A Mission. It is also associated with the set all free initiative of Churches Together in England and the Stop the Traffik coalition. Fund raising for the walk. Funds to enable the walk to take place are vital in the immediate future to enable significant sums of money to be raised in 2007. Appointing someone with administrative and project management skills to plan the walks. Walk Schedules Part 1 Hull Westminster Date | Journey | Contacts | Thurs March 1 | Hull - Barton-upon-Humber | Phil Ball - 01482 329580 | Fri March 2 | Barton-upon-Humber - Scunthorpe | Tim Harris 01724875650 | Sat March 3 | Scunthorpe - Epworth | Rev David Leese 01427 872319 | Sun March 4 | Rest day in Epworth | " " | Mon March 5 | Epworth - Gainsborough | Mike Childs 01427 610057 | Tues March 6 | Gainsborough - Saxilby (nr Lincoln) | Hamish Temple 01522 546412 | Wed March 7 | Saxilby - Branston (nr Lincoln) | " " | Thurs March 8 | Branston - Billinghay | | Fri March 9 | Billinghay Boston | | Sat March 10 | Boston Holbeach | Rev Alan Barker 01406 423270 | Sun March 11 | Rest day in Holbeach | | Mon March 12 | Holbeach Wisbech | Clive Butcher 01945 587863 | Tues March 13 | Wisbech Wimblington | David Sladden Tel :01354 694097 | Wed March 14 | Wimblington Sutton | David Sladden Tel :01354 694097 | Thurs March 15 | Sutton Soham | | Fri March 16 | Soham Cambridge | Katie Reid 01223 207387 | Sat March 17 | Cambridge Royston | " " | Sun March 18 | Rest day in Royston | Priscilla Barlow 01763 852841 | Mon March 19 | Royston - Buntingford | | Tues March 20 | Buntingford Ware | | Wed March 21 | Ware Waltham Abbey | | Thurs March 22 | Waltham Abbey Walthamstow | | Fri March 23 | Walthamstow - Greenwich | Sam Eastop 0208 9218006 | Sat March 24 | Greenwich Westminster | Walk of Witness | Sun March 25 | Anniversary day events | | | | |
Part 2: Sankofa Reconciliation Walk Date | Journey | | Sun June 3 | Commissioning service | | Mon June 4 | Deptford - Hayes | | Tues June 5 | Hayes Reading | Malc Pearce 0118967 6331 | Wed June 6 | Reading Newbury | | Thurs June 7 | Newbury Marlborough | | Fri June 8 | Marlborough Chippenham | | Sat June 9 | Chippenham Bath | John Rackley 01225 461600 | Sun June 10 | Rest day in Bath | | Mon June 11 | Bath Bristol | Marvin Rees 07810 874 033 | Tues June 12 | Journey to Plymouth | | Wed June 13 | Return from Plymouth to Bristol via Exeter | | Thurs June 14 | Bristol Stroud | Rev Canon Adrian Slade 01242 253162 | Fri June 15 | Stroud Cheltenham | Rev Canon Adrian Slade 01242 253162 | Sat June 16 | Cheltenham Worcester | David Ryan 01905 616109 | Sun June 17 | Worcester - Birmingham | Colin Marsh 0121 766 5522 | Mon June 18 | Rest Day in Birmingham | " " | Tues June 19 | Birmingham Cannock | | Wed June 20 | Cannock Stokeon-Trent | Lloyd Cooke 01782 207200 | Thurs June 21 | Stoke-on-Trent -Nantwich | | Fri June 22 | Nantwich Runcorn | | Sat June 23 | Runcorn Liverpool | John Patterson 0151 228 3364 | Sun June 24 | Rest day in Liverpool | " | Mon June 25 | Journey to Lancaster | | Tues June 26 | Journey to Whitehaven | | Wed June 27 | Journey to Glasgow | Tom Moyes 01786 823 588 | Thurs June 28 | Return from Glasgow to Liverpool | John Patterson, 0151 228 3364 | Fri June 29 | Liverpool Warrington | | Sat June 30 | Warrington Manchester | Graham Kent 0161 273 5508 | Sun July 1 | Rest day in Manchester | | Mon July 2 | Manchester Buxton | | Tues July 3 | Buxton Ashbourne | | Wed July 4 | Ashbourne Derby | Rob Hobbs 01332 291987 | Thurs July 5 | Derby Leicester | Paul Walland 0116 2124131 | Fri July 6 | Leicester Kettering | David Wiseman 01604 887046 | Sat July 7 | Kettering - Olney | | Sun July 8 | Rest day in Olney | | Mon July 9 | Olney Luton | | Tues July 10 | Luton Mill Hill | George Jones 0208 959 2288 | Wed July 11 | Mill Hill - Deptford | | | | |
We acknowledge helpful support from Ordnance Survey in our route planning. Contact details: David Pott, Lifeline Expedition, 58 Geoffrey Rd, LONDON SE4 1NT Tel: 020 86942220 e-mail: lifelinex@fountaingate.co.uk For more information about Christian involvement in the Bicentenary please visit www.setallfree.net |