Campaigners took a stance against modern-day slavery with Bermuda's second Run For Freedom yesterday.

About 35 people hit Kindley Field Park to raise awareness about the plight of at least 12 million men, women and children in human captivity all over the world.

Cash they generated through sponsorship will go to anti-slavery international coalition Stop The Traffik.

Less people than expected showed up because of disappointing weather — a problem surprisingly absent in London, where one of the run's sister events took place.

Another Run For Freedom was simultaneously held in Florida.

Bermuda organiser Erica Rance-Cariah — inspired by her friend who was born in Thailand and sold as a child slave — told The Royal Gazette: "Everybody who showed up had a good time. At least we stayed dry.

"Donations go to Stop The Traffik, but it's more to raise awareness. We were like a leg in the slave trade."

She said even though Bermuda may seem a different world to places affected by modern-today slavery, people should not adopt the attitude that there's nothing they can do about it.

"If everybody thought like that slavery may never have been abolished," she said. "Sometimes the power of one can make a difference."

Last year's organiser, Charlotte Wilberforce — the great-great-great granddaughter of William Wilberforce who campaigned to abolish slavery two centuries ago — was at the London run yesterday.

Stop The Traffik helps victims of human trafficking, including those trapped in the sex industry, child labour, bonded labour and forced marriages, and puts pressure on global leaders to stamp slavery out.

To make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/runforfreedom2009.