Liverpool youth-led knife crime campaign wins national award

Stop the Knives Ending Lives is a youth driven programme aimed at reducing the number of knife related incidents across Merseyside.

Created by students who make up the Knowsley Youth Cabinet and supported by Constable William Hughes from Merseyside Police, the team have already started a movement amongst young people living in Knowsley.

The initiative was created following ongoing issues in the borough as well as the tragic murder of Adam Ellison in 2017.

Knowsley Youth Cabinet – Picture taken Pre-Covid

Constable Hughes said:

“It is great to work with positive young people who want to make the places where they live, work and hang out safer for everyone”.

“Jess, a student at St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School and an elected Member of the Youth Parliament for Knowsley, has led the team in delivering this innovative knife crime programme and hugely deserves the recognition that she received yesterday – I couldn’t be more proud of what she and the team have produced”.

“This is, however, just the start of the cabinet’s journey with Merseyside Police. Our vision is to raise further awareness of the impact of knife crime by engaging with community partners and secondary schools across the Borough of Knowsley. We will also continue to promote the voices of young people, listening to their worries and acting upon them.”

“Yesterday’s award ceremony, albeit virtual, was a great experience and I hope that the young people involved in this are spurred on by their success and continue to do great things as well as reducing knife crime.”

Jess said:

“After our launch, we were put into the first lockdown in 2020, which meant that we couldn’t go to schools and youth clubs to share our campaign as originally planned. As a result of this, we adapted and relaunched the campaign on social media, reaching over 5000 people. This isn’t the end of Stop the Knives Ending Lives; we aim to expand our reach and continue to work with the community and support families like Adam Ellison’s and the ADAM Foundation.”

Cllr Shelley Powell, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Communities, said:

“Huge congratulations to Knowsley’s Youth Cabinet for their success at the National Crimebeat awards. This is certainly a proud moment for Knowsley and it’s fantastic to see the hard work and commitment of our young people being recognised on a national stage.”

Paul Oginsky, Chief Executive Officer Vibe at said:

“We approach youth work and working with young people from one key focus: helping young people to improve their relationships. We believe that when young people have positive relationships with themselves and with others, they are able to play a positive role in building vibrant communities.

I’m delighted that the hard work of our Youth Cabinet has been recognised in such a prestigious ceremony. Whilst I know that our young people were hoping for a trip to London, the fact that so many of our local community logged online to watch the ceremony, really proves the impact this campaign has had.”