GBR – Victims of knife crime remembered

LONDON – Leading UK politicians, police officers and community representatives joined dozens of youngsters in remembering victims of knife crime in London at a commemorative basketball tournament last week.

The event, to mark the third anniversary of the “Carry A Basketball, Not A Blade” campaign, saw Labour Member of Parliament and former Government minister Stephen Timms (middle, front row of picture) – who was stabbed during a meeting in his constituency last year – play in a showcase game against the official Metropolitan Police team.

There was also a minute’s silence for those who have lost their lives to knife crime and police workshops held with the aim of tackling knife crime, gang activity and anti social behaviour.

Guests included UK Home Office minister James Brokenshire and Newham Borough Commander Detective Chief Superintendent Simon Letchford, who presented a cheque from the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) for £8,000 to help keep the campaign running.

The event was organised by the Newham All Star Sports Academy (NASSA) which reaches out to 1,800 youngsters at 66 schools every week.

Government committed

A letter from UK Prime Minister David Cameron, which was read out to the 200 attendees, said: “The Government is committed to fighting knife, gang and gun related violence, and we place great importance on preventative work to steer young people away from crime.

“I believe that we all need to work together to tackle crime, and I welcome the relationship that exists between NASSA, the Metropolitan Police, local schools and others. Your success is a great tribute to the results that can be achieved when people join together like this.”

Speaking before the game, which the police narrowly won 83-79, Timms said: “I'm a big fan of this initiative. I'm a patron of NASSA and have been for a while.

“Basketball is something that the kids here are very excited about. It's giving them a real purpose and direction that some of them wouldn't have had otherwise.

“There's a real commitment from the young people who came up with the “Carry A Basketball, Not A Blade campaign themselves and it is being supported by the wholeheartedly by police.

“Basketball will have a big impact in our community in many years to come and much more than it has had in the past.

“When the whole world is coming to this part of London in the summer of 2012, the enthusiasm for sport is going to be stratospheric and basketball is going to have a big part to play."

Basketball's opportunity

Natasha Hart (middle, back row of picture), director of NASSA who works with teenage founder Anthony Okereafor on the campaign, said: “Basketball offers the opportunity to develop key life skills and creates a strong team ethos as well as educating about health and nutrition.

"But most importantly, it removes young people from the streets and away from the persuasion of becoming involved in knife crime. ‘Carry A Basketball Not A Blade’ is about giving young people opportunities, creating role models and developing their self-belief.”

Chief Inspector Gary Brown, the youth lead from Newham Police, said: “I can not praise NASSA enough for their commitment to keeping our young people safe through basketball. 
 
“Newham Police remains totally committed to making people of all ages in the borough safer and this event is a great way to celebrate what the community and police, working together, can achieve.”

FIBA