-St Mellitus Campaign Against Knife Crime Project is a product of the St Mellitus Justice & Peace Group. We are currently involved in generating local awareness about the issues around young people carrying knives and getting caught in gang involvement. We have been involved in the London Citizen’s ‘City Safe’ project, and since July 2017 have been 1) publicizing anti knife crime messages 2) liaising with the police about taking part in ‘flash searches’ with other groups such as the Shaquan Sammy Plummer Foundation3) publicizing anti-gang literature advice to parents and other groups and 4) planning to acquire a knife/weapons disposal bin from the charity Word4Weapons (http://www.word4weapons.co.uk ).

-The cost of this charity’s installation of a fit-for-purpose weapons disposal bin is £10k which will secure it for over 3 years. This includes site risk assessments, a concrete plinth, insurance, collection, police liaison and workshops in schools. We are already £5800 towards our target. (Islington Council have awarded us £1800 and a charity has given us £4000). The installation of the bin will form the centre of gravity of our anti knife crime initiative and will include community events, workshops, publicity and liaison with youth groups. A similar bin in Stamford Hill last year collected hundreds of knives including guns. We are running a 'flash search' for weapons with the police on June 9th this year, (2018).

-Knife and gun crime, and the involvement of young people in gangs, is a national scandal and has blighted the lives of families across the UK, London and Islington. Young people are being killed at the rate of one a week in London. St Mellitus parish has lost two young parishioners in the last 8 years through random acts of youth violence. Local people tell us that this is their number one concern.

-There is a lot of evidence from the police, whom we have liaised with, that these bins are effective and clear weapons off the street. This project has full police support and we have support of local councillors, and other agencies. We are liaising with London Citizens, local churches, the council and Muslim Welfare House to create a centre of gravity across Islington and Camden to create a tipping point in public concern about the current dreadful waste of young lives