2023 has been a year to remember. Sadly, we have to report some 21 teenagers were killed in 2023, 18 being stabbed, two being shot and one killed when his moped was struck by a car. You can read some details here. It is a higher tally than 2022 but fewer than 2021. These figures provide no cause for the slightest complacency. They are terrible figures, and no comparative snapshots can make them seem less serious. Many families and friends now grieve for these young lives lost, and for what?
The year for FKCL ended well. In November we became strategic partners with the Met for their bi-annual Operation Sceptre knife crime and community engagement campaign. These saw 6000 leaflets with information about our resources distributed across London. We are also in the process of moving out from the charitable umbrella of that great organisation and main partners at Catch22 who have supported us since inception. We are happy that they will retain a link however via our future trusteeship. In a few months we should become our own separate charity (CIO). This should be a reality by the time of our first annual conference “Being Greater than Ourselves” at the Congress Centre in London on Tuesday May 14th. This is an exciting moment and there will be some big announcements in the next few weeks and months. Follow it here and book your delegate pass now!
This month’s magazine looks at a broad range of subjects. Sandra Jareno-Ripoll, Elizabeth Paddock and Professor Kevin Browne, from the Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology, at the School of Medicine, University of Nottingham unveil their new research into the complex landscape of knife crime. A Prison Officer (who for now must remain anonymous) gives some fascinating insights, which will amaze. Sammy Odoi the inspiring CIO of Wipers Youth CIC speaks about the importance of youth work . Deanna Heer KC, Senior Treasury Counsel and the lead for the Criminal Bar Association on knife crime writes for us as well about how the law can make things very difficult for knife offenders. Niven Rennie, former head of the Scottish VRU and now Chair of the Hope Collective brings his huge experience to bear on how we should move forward together, which is very much the theme of our forthcoming conference. Joseph Lyons, CEO of the West Ham Foundation speaks about the inspiring work they do every day of the year with young people. Chief Inspector Rob Ranstead, lead for the Metropolitan Police in London for Operation Sceptre also writes for us about what their work has achieved, and how this is measured. Finally, my own first magazine piece here is based on a speech delivered in November as part of Operation Sceptre week at Lambeth Town Hall. Please forgive its length, but it serves as a bit of a tour d’horizon of the problems we all we face in London, and how we might change things for the better.
Bruce Houlder
Founder of Fighting Knife Crime London (FKCL)
www.fightingknifecrime.london
