Young people leading change in their community.

The Ben Kinsella Trust announces knife crime awareness event designed and
hosted by Youth Ambassadors.

The Ben Kinsella Trust, a leading charity tackling knife crime in the UK, is thrilled to
announce a unique knife crime awareness event entirely designed and hosted by young
people from Barking and Dagenham.

The impactful event will take place on Wednesday 8 May, 6pm – 8pm at M&B Sports and Social Club, Dagenham, to an audience of decision makers in the borough, with councillors including Leader of Barking and Dagenham Council, Councillor Darren Rodwell, headteachers, teachers, funders and community leaders.

Knife crime continues to soar across both London and the country as a whole, with statistics
revealing alarming trends in recent years. According to data from the Office for National
Statistics, incidents of police recorded offences involving a knife or sharp instrument have
reached 49,489 offences in England and Wales, meaning there has been a 7% increase in
the last 12 months (year ending December 2023.) These figures underscore the urgent need
for proactive measures to address this crisis, particularly in London where knife crime has
risen 20% in the last year.

Young people from Barking and Dagenham have been taking part in the Ben Kinsella Trust
Youth Ambassadors programme; empowering them to become knife crime prevention
champions within their borough and beyond. The programme has included weekly facilitated
sessions, including media training, presentation skills, leadership skills and public speaking
skills; leading to the creation, planning and delivery of their own knife crime prevention event
titled “You should have been here”.

“The Youth Ambassador-led event will feature a dynamic array of activities designed to
engage, motivate and empower attendees, including interactive speeches, quizzes and a
powerful pledge to conclude the evening. The Youth Ambassadors will be calling councillors,
headteachers, teachers and community leaders to sign a pledge to commit to tackling knife
crime.
The aim of the Youth Ambassadors event is to:

• Spark conversation and empower people to create positive change.
• Raise awareness about the consequences of knife crime
• Inspire and motivate them to educate others and pledge to tackle knife crime in their
  area.

Charlotte, age 14, Youth Ambassador said:
“We as Youth Ambassadors for The Ben Kinsella Trust strongly believe through our
community action that we can influence change. However, we believe this must be a
collective societal effort with maximum reach. We therefore call on the help of
teachers, councillors, members of the government and the local community to
support us on our mission”
Patrick Green, CEO of The Ben Kinsella Trust, said:
“I am so impressed by our Youth Ambassadors’ initiative in creating this event, which shows
the incredible power of young people to facilitate change in their communities. Their passion
is inspiring, and their message about building a safer future is truly impactful. The event is a
wonderful testament to their dedication to stopping knife crime.”
Event details: The event will take place Wednesday 8th May, 6pm – 8pm at M&B Sports
and Social Club, Dagenham Rd, Dagenham, Romford RM7 0QX.

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