Council Updates Greenwich Parents On the Boroughs Knife Crime Campaign At Knife-Crime Awareness Seminar

* Cllr Jackie Smith

by our RBG Correspondent | Woolwich

Parents learnt about the wealth of resources and support groups available to those worried about gang and knife crime at a seminar hosted by the Royal Borough of Greenwich on the 14 March.

The seminar was conducted by the Metropolitan Police as part of an intensive and wide-ranging, multi-agency approach to tackling youth knife-crime and gang violence in the borough.

The seminar featured updates on the work of the Violent and Organised Crime Unit (VOCU), the dedicated police team funded by the Council to tackle violent crime in the borough. It also included speakers from the NSPCC, Charlton Athletic Community Trust, the Police Independent Advisory Group and the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s Families First and Community Safety services.

The mother of the late Rob Knox, Sally Knox, spoke on the harrowing events that led to her son’s death and the work of the Rob Knox Foundation in educating people on the danger of street violence and knife crime.

There were also opportunities for parents to share their own family experiences. This included a parent recalling the very difficult challenges she had experienced with her own son and how she had benefitted from the 10 week Non- Violent Resistance (NVR) Programme for parents run by the NHS Oxleas Foundation Trust.

Borough Commander, Chief Superintendent Helen Millichap who welcomed parents at the seminar said: “I am really glad that parents could attend such a worthwhile and informative seminar. We will continue to work very hard with our partners and community leaders on preventative action as part of a joined up approach to tackling these problems.”

Cllr Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Environment who gave the closing remarks at the seminar added: “It was invaluable to hear not onl from the Police and Royal Borough of Greenwich Services on tackling knife and gang crime but also from charities, partner organisations and parents. Through working together, we can ensure that fewer families have to go through the painful effects of a loved one being caught up in knife or gang crime.”

If you would like more information from the NSPCC on gang violence, please visit:

[ https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/staying-safe-away-from-home/gangs-young-people/ ].

More information on the work of the Rob Knox Foundation can be found at:

[ http://robknox.org/ ].

Details about the Non-Violent Resistance Programme can be found at:

[ http://oxleas.nhs.uk/site-media/cms-downloads/Non_Violent_Resistance_CAMHS.pdf.]