Great Places Housing Group has commissioned a documentary on knife crime created by young people from Salford, who have been involved in all aspects of the production, from interviewing the participants to the sound, filming and editing.
The project is a partnership with REELMCR, a local community engagement and media production company.
Although knife crime in Salford has reduced by nine per cent in 2022 when compared to the previous year, knife crime nationally has been on the increase for a number of years across the UK. In the last year alone, from March 2021 to March 2022, there has been a 10 per cent increase according to the Office of National Statistics.
The Great Places team in Salford recognised the need to proactively address this national trend to protect our neighbourhoods and wanted to take action to raise awareness of the issue.
The documentary was funded by Great Places and Equans through social value, and is aimed at young people aged 11 and upwards to be used in schools or other youth settings.
Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett and Lead Member for Community Safety Cllr Barbara Bentham were joined by Simon Robinson, Great Places’ Director of Neighbourhood, and other dignitaries at the premiere of the film and to unveil the first of six bleed cabinets.
As well as promoting the film throughout the community, Great Places is a valued partner of Project Gulf and they have worked together to fund six bleed cabinets that have been installed across the city, each containing a bleed control kit which can enable a member of the public to provide life-saving treatment in the event of a stabbing or any other catastrophic bleeding.
Project Gulf, a partnership aimed at targeting those involved in organised crime and gang members, the project also funds valuable services which work with children and young people at risk of gang violence, to steer them away from crime and into a better future. The bleed control kits have been funded from the proceeds of crime action by GMP.
Simon Robinson, Director of Neighbourhoods at Great Places said:
Knife crime is a scourge on the streets of the nation. It ruins lives and decimates communities, which is why we are proud to play a part in combatting this awful crime.
We have a commitment to try and improve the lives of the people who live in our homes and our communities and this innovative approach to embedding the human cost to knife crime is one we hope will have a profound effect.
The young people who made the film have done a fantastic job and we hope that the bleed cabinets are never needed but could be used to save lives if necessary.”
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said:
In Salford, knife crime has fallen thanks to the extensive dedicated work of the Salford Community Safety Partnership and young people in the city – but the city is not complacent. Even one incident is one too many and we must keep doing all we can to raise awareness and tackle knife crime in our communities.
The simple fact is that if you carry a knife then you are more likely to end up getting a criminal record and getting hurt.
Awareness about knife crime thanks to initiatives like this fantastic documentary really helps to spread the message that it is never appropriate to carry a knife on the streets.”
Kelly Brown, who has become a campaigner against knife crime following the death of her son Rhamero West in 2021, added:
I am very happy to have been a part of this documentary to raise awareness of knife crime.
The loss of my son Rhamero has given me so much fight to make a change so that no other parent goes through the pain I have and I am still going through. I hope my message is powerful and we can get the message across it’s not good to carry a knife for one silly act can ruin so many lives.”
Picture caption: Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett, Kelly Brown, Holly Southgate, Cllr Barbara Bentham and Lisa Newns, Great Places’ Area Services Manager, with the bleed kit to be placed on Salford Quays.
