Help Wilberforce petition reach milestone

People across East Yorkshire are being urged to help push a petition to end modern-day slavery past 100,000 signatures.

The petition was launched last year to mark the 200th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act, which Hull's greatest son, William Wilberforce, was instrumental in getting through Parliament.

Now, more than 98,000 people have backed the petition, which is part of the Mail's Fight For Freedom campaign that calls on governments and global organisations to end modern-day slavery.

Campaigners and ancestors of Wilberforce are now urging more people to sign the petition and allow the 100,000 mark to be reached.

The first person to sign the petition was William Wilberforce, the sixth-generation descendant of the former Hull MP.

He said: "People from all walks of life have become involved in the campaign, which echoes Wilberforce's work of 200 years ago. There will be residents who have not signed the petition yet and I would urge them to do so and then tell friends to as well."

Hull City Councillor John Robinson, chairman of the Wilberforce 2007 partners committee, said: "In the early stages of the petition we said 20,000 signatures would be great, but to reach 100,000 would give it a symbolic importance.

"It has made an international impact and has a massive response. Slavery is still a huge issue in the world.

"We want it to make a big impact and one idea we have is to present it to the United Nations."

To add your name to the petition, visit www.wilberforce2007.co.uk