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28 November 2008
The next phase in a new billboard campaign featuring young people standing together against knife crime was unveiled today in Southwark in London.
The new interactive campaign will run throughout the next three months in urban and residential areas across England and Wales, including the ten areas involved in the Tackling Knives Action Programme.
Young people are being encouraged to show their support by adding their own anti-knife photo pledges on the Bebo website (new window). Their images have been included on the latest versions of the posters in the series.
Home Office minister's statement
Home Office Minister Meg Hillier said, 'We are all determined to tackle knife crime and I am personally committed to encouraging communities in London to stand united with us in the fight against knives.
'These posters, in London and across the country, send a clear message that people don’t want weapons on their streets. There is an intensive programme of work taking place to tackle knife crime but we can’t make a difference on our own.
'We need the help of local communities to spread the message that carrying a knife is not acceptable.'
Part of a national campaign
The new billboards are the latest step in the government's £3m national marketing campaign, It Doesn't Have to Happen, which was launched in May this year.
The campaign, created by young people and aimed at young people, has used radio and viral ads to reach its target audience and direct them to a dedicated page on the Bebo social networking site. On the site, young people can come together in the fight against knife crime.
Aron Jervis, a 21-year-old from London and one of the young people who helped develop the campaign said, 'I went to a creative youth summit back in May to come up with ideas for the campaign to stop knife crime. I wrote a radio script for the campaign and recorded it and it was aired on various radio stations including Choice and Kiss FM.
'I think it is really important that young people come together to find solutions to stop knife crime and these new posters will help give them a vote.'
More than 60,000 young people have visited the It Doesn’t Have to Happen page on Bebo, and the site has more than 6,000 friends. So far 9.6m young people have seen the websites, and 2.8m people have heard the radio ads.
Notes to editors
- More details about the anti-knife crime campaign can be found on the Bebo website (new window).
- The ten areas taking part in the Tackling Knives Action Programme are London, Essex, Lancashire, West Yorkshire, Merseyside, the West Midlands, Greater Manchester, Nottinghamshire, South Wales and Thames Valley.
- The programme, which will run until March 2009, combines tough enforcement with education, prevention work and information campaigns designed to keep youngsters on the right track.
- For PDFs of the billboards, please contact the Home Office Press Office Newsdesk on 0207 035 3535.
