A BARMAN is sleeping rough for a week to raise awareness of slavery and human trafficking.

Rowan Groom, who works at Wahoo, in Hythe Bridge Street, Oxford, pitched his tent in Cornmarket Street, Oxford on Sunday night and said he hopes it will help get the message across.

The 25-year-old was inspired after watching a documentary about modern slavery and said: “I’m a hip hop artist and in my music I discuss social injustices, but I never really do anything about them – now I am.”

Mr Groom, who usually lives in Edith Road, wants to raise about £400, the amount he estimates is needed to help one person escape slavery.

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He said the money will go towards buying books and stationery for children in poverty: “There are two things that cause slavery: poverty and corruption. Children around the world live in areas where there is no school, no small businesses and no education at base level. They need to have skills to avoid slavery and trafficking.’”

So far Mr Groom has raised about £170 and said he chose Oxford because he thought it was an affluent area.

He has different boxes which differentiate between who donated what amount. The three boxes are labelled with ‘the people’, ‘students’ and ‘politicians’.

Mr Groom said that students on their nights out seemed to donate the most, but unexpected donations had dampened his own cynicism of people.

He said: “Most people think I’m mad, but this one elderly lady came over to me and donated £25 and we both cried. People can be so generous, and it doesn’t feel like enough to say thank you when somebody donates – or offers you a cup of coffee when you’re out here.”

And Mr Groom said he’s eating better than he does at home: “I’m eating like a king, with no opportunity to diet. Friends and strangers give me supplies and I’ve been given things like Nutella and croissants. I’m so grateful.

“I filled in all the necessary paperwork in order to be here. The police came over once I’d been set up for about an hour, but were very relaxed.”

Councillor for the local Carfax ward Alex Hollingsworth backed Mr Groom’s actions.

He said: “Rowan’s actions are a great way of highlighting the horrors of slavery and human trafficking. Too many people just aren't aware of how much human trafficking exists, and the misery it causes.”

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