An urgent appeal has been launched by the Safety Centre following three violent stabbings this week in Milton Keynes.
The Safety Centre is launching an urgent knife crime education appeal following on from the horrific stabbings in MK this week and is asking businesses to support their life saving work.
"This week’s violent stabbings of three young men in Milton Keynes, leaving one victim hospitalised is a stark reminder for the need for lifesaving knife crime education for our children and young people," the Safety Centre say.
"We are calling on businesses, funders, organisations and individuals to fund our lifesaving knife crime education workshops teaching young people about the dangers and life changing consequences of being involved in knife crime.
"The shocking news of these horrific attacks in our hometown of Milton Keynes makes it clear- we urgently need funding for our early intervention knife crime education work now. Our knife crime education workshops create safe spaces to speak with young people in an age-appropriate way to dispel myths and common misconceptions about carrying weapons and being involved in knife crime.
"There is no safe way to use, carry or participate in knife crime. Knives destroy lives for victims and perpetrators. We need funding for our knife crime workshops now to give children and young people the tools they need to make safe choices in the future.
"We are calling on all businesses, organisations, funders and individuals to fund this work and urge you to support us today to help keep our communities safe."
When speaking with the Safety Centre Dr Stuart Lawrence, the younger brother of Stephen Lawrence who was violently murdered 30 years ago said: "Early intervention is so important. Education can be the most powerful tool in the world and the earlier we can give people the tools to be safe, the more it helps. We need to explain to young people that time is precious, and life is precious.
"One fifth of knife crime is committed by 10–17-year-olds and there’s a lot more we can do early on to explain to children the importance of life and that there’s always an amicable way of solving things."
The Safety Centre’s knife crime safety education workshops have been designed for children and young people and are being delivered in schools across the region. Sessions are tailored to match the learning age of the students aging from 9 years old upwards, creating safe spaces for lifesaving conversations about knives and weapons.
Sessions have been delivered to 14,500 students across the region in the past two years but this early intervention work must continue now to help students make safe choices when it comes to the dangerous issue of knife crime, reducing the impact of crime and vulnerability.
"We need local people to invest to help stop knife crime in the future. An investment of £7 per child can help us deliver this lifesaving learning. With £210 we can educate a group of 30 children and young people. A donation of £10,000 would benefit over 1,400 children and young people.
"We are committed to ensuring we educate as many people across our city and beyond as the consequences of knife crime are devastating. Please support our vital safety education work today with a donation to our appeal. Collectively we can make a positive difference to the lives of our young people."
You can find the appeal and more information here.
