Hi guys,

I'm Ruxandra and I will be running the London Marathon in
April 2020. This is my fundraising page and all the money I'll be raising will
go to The Salvation Army in order to help the victims of modern slavery.

Some of you may know me as playing Alina in ITV's Coronation
Street, and if you watched the storyline you may remember that Alina was a
victim of modern slavery.

While working on the storyline The Salvation Army provided
me with so much information about this issue. I’ll be honest and admit I didn't
know much about it and that slavery still exists in the modern society.

Listening to the stories of real-life victims I realized I
could have easily gone through Alina's situation when I moved to London. My
first week in this new city would have been my last one too if I wouldn’t find
a job ASAP. My savings were definitely not enough. On my first job I didn't
sign any contract, I didn't even think of doing so or ask too many questions, I
was beyond happy I had one.

There are thousands of people being trafficked in UK and
more than 40 million worldwide!! Did you know that modern slavery has many
types, such as forced labor, domestic servitude, bonded labor, forced marriage,
and child labor?  I didn't.

Lots of people are being exploited in front of our eyes -
forced to work for little or no money in car washes, restaurants, nail bars,
construction sites. Some people are kept as domestic slaves in a home, cooking
cleaning and looking after children. Others are forced to commit crimes against
their will.

Modern-day slaves, like Alina, are not normally held by chains and locks but by threats and fear -
traffickers will force someone to work against their will to pay off a debt, by
threatening to hurt them or their families and by telling them that no-one will
help them if they run away. The Salvation Army provides, through a Government
contract, safe places to stay; financial support, access to counseling, legal
and medical services - whatever each individual needs to get their life back on
track.

I am running because I am one of those people who left their
home country in order to build a better future for themselves and their families.

I am running because ''there is no them, is only us''.

Thank you so much for every single one of you who will
decide to support my run with as little or as much as possible.

Lots of love,

Ruxandra