Like everyone else in the country, we the members of Christian churches in Chapeltown and Harehills have been deeply saddened and worried at the tragic loss of young lives to violent crime in the streets of Leeds. Knife crime has risen in Leeds by 26% in the last year, with the highest peaks in the LS7 and LS8 areas.

Leaders of "Chapeltown and Harehills Churches Together" (CHCT) and their congregations are often directly affected by such violence and think it is time to go beyond the daily pastoral care of victims and their families.

As an initial response we want to plant a weapons bin, in the area of Chapeltown and Harehills, of the type already seen and successfully employed in the streets of London and Sheffield. In dialogue with the West Yorkshire Police force and local youth workers, this bin - securely made and installed - will offer young people in the area the opportunity to turn their lives around and make a fresh start. Each weapon anonymously dropped into the bin may mean two lives being saved: that of the potential perpetrator of a heinous crime, and that of the potential victim. The bin will also provide a way for us all to finally get rid of all those old unwanted knives in our kitchen drawers, before they cause any harm.

Another step forward in this outreach initiative will be to help support the families affected by knife crime and those caught up in the criminal activities. We appeal to your generosity to help us finance the project. The lives of our children are at stake.

For more info email: ch-churchestogether@protonmail.com