Sawtry youngsters launch knife campaign
AS soap star Brooke Kinsella pleaded for an end to knife violence in the wake of her 16-year-old brother Ben's fatal stabbing in London, youngsters here have issued their own hard hitting message – Save a life: Bin a knife.
AS soap star Brooke Kinsella pleaded for an end to knife violence in the wake of her 16-year-old brother Ben's fatal stabbing in London, youngsters here have issued their own hard hitting message – Save a life: Bin a knife.The stark call comes from nine secondary school pupils, who have launched a three-day campaign targeting school boys and young men, who are at most risk of being stabbed.
Using posters, T-shirts and a website packed with shocking facts and figures, the teenagers from Sawtry Community College hope to bring home the dangers of knife crime to their peers and raise awareness of the ongoing problems among young people.
Related: Revealed: The true cost of crime to the city
A special report by The Evening Telegraph, 4 July 2008
What do you think about crime in Peterborough?Comment below, email us: news@ peterboroughtoday.co.uk or telephone the newsdesk 01733 588719.
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Pupil Leanne Lyon (15) said: "In the UK, a knife crime is committed every 24 minutes and school boys and young men are at most risk of being stabbed.
"We have seen knife crime rising and now young people feel frightened to walk down the street.
"Some resort to carrying knives but this only makes things worse.
"There is a two-year sentence for carrying a knife, and what is worse is you have a larger change of being stabbed by your own weapon than injuring your target.
"Our challenge is to raise awareness of the ongoing problem of knife crime among young people."
No police figures were available for the number of people who have been victims of knife crime.
However, new figures show the number of people admitted to Peterborough District Hospital with stab wounds rose by more than 46 per cent, with 26 incidents in 2006 to 38 in 2007.
Out of the 64 total incidents for the two years, 14 of the victims were aged 19 and under, while the remaining 50 were aged between 20 and 64.
As well as conveying hard-hitting messages through posters, the group have also been talking to 12 and 13-year-olds about knife crime.
In addition, they invited police, prison officers, MPs and the families of knife-crime victims to the school, in Fen Lane, to tell of their experiences.
Leanne added: "Knife crime is such a big issue at the moment and one that us young people are being blamed for but in fact there are so many young people out there who are not involved.
"We believe that this must stop as every young boy and man around the country is in danger and as an increasing media spotlight falls over this dark topic, we believe action must take place."
Claire Smith, who is also part of the team, added: "It is a growing problem in the UK.
"We want to do something to try to discourage youngsters from getting involved in knife crime.
"I think this initiative is important because children will listen to other children more than they will listen to adults."
For more information about the campaign, visit www.knife-crime.co.nr.
Related national news: Kinsella stab death: Three remanded
The family of teenager Ben Kinsella came face to face with the three youths accused of his murder. 4 July 2008
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