Tumbling Lassie events to mark Anti-Slavery Day

THE Tumbling Lassie Committee will host two events next month to acknowledge Anti-Slavery Day and provide opportunities to reflect on and raise awareness of the ongoing human trafficking and modern slavery in Scotland. 

On Thursday 10 October the Committee will hold its annual anti-slavery seminar, entitled Modern-day Slavery in Scotland. This event will take place in the Laigh Hall at Parliament House and will be chaired by the Dean of Faculty, Roddy Dunlop KC. Speakers include the Solicitor General, Ruth Charteris KC, who will speak about the response of the criminal law to human trafficking, and Chris Clements from the BBC, whose recent documentary, “Disclosure: Slavery at Sea”, reported on a three-year investigation into allegations of modern slavery aboard UK fishing vessels. Clips from the documentary will be played during his talk.

The seminar will start at 4.30pm and will be followed by refreshments provided by the Faculty of Advocates. Register for free here. 

On Tuesday 22 October the Committee will host an evening with Hobbs in George Street, Edinburgh. From 6pm guests will receive a private shopping experience, fashion show, refreshments, discounts against purchases on the evening and a prize draw for lucky winners on the night!  Tickets cost £15 and are available here. 

Sheriff Maryam Labaki, chair of the Tumbling Lassie Committee, said: “We are delighted to welcome you to mark Anti-Slavery Day with us during October. Our events this year are aimed at raising much-needed awareness of modern slavery and human trafficking in Scotland as well as raising funds for our charities, International Justice Mission (IJM) and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTIS.”

The Committee will also host another event, its annual Tumbling Lassie Ball, on 16 November in Prestonfield. A final batch of tickets has been released and is available here. 

 The Tumbling Lassie is named in honour of a case decided by the Court of Session in Edinburgh in 1687, Reid v Scot of Harden and his Lady. The case concerned a young girl gymnast, who performed as an act in public entertainments put on by Reid, a "mountebank" or travelling showman. She was worn out by having to dance in Reid's shows and ran away, taking refuge with the Scots of Harden, a family from the Scottish Borders. Reid sued the Scots and produced a written contract, showing that he had "bought" the tumbling lassie from her mother. He argued that the tumbling lassie belonged to him as his property.  The Court of Session in Edinburgh heard the case in January 1687. The Court dismissed Reid's claim, impliedly declaring the tumbling lassie free. The only surviving report of the case contains the trenchant observation: "But we have no slaves in Scotland, and mothers cannot sell their bairns..." 

Slavery is now illegal all over the world. It is because this has not, tragically, prevented millions still being held in actual or effective slavery, throughout the world and even in Scotland, that the charities supported by the Tumbling Lassie Appeal continue the struggle to end slavery and people trafficking and to support modern survivors of these crimes as they recover from their ordeals. 

For more details on the Tumbling Lassie Appeal, or to donate, go to www.tumblinglassie.com