Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland’s (LLR) anti-knife crime awareness campaign for children and young people has been strengthened following the launch of a new interactive video map showcasing real-life stories that highlight the impact knife crime has on local communities.

Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT), the Violence Reduction Network, Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council Youth Service have worked in partnership to develop the new resource for the We Don’t Carry #LivesNotKnives campaign, which provides young people with the facts about the dangers of carrying knives, whilst sharing that it’s never too late to make a positive change.

The idea for the project came from Denise Webbe, a Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust specialist community public health nurse, working in the Healthy Together school nursing service. Denise noticed an increasing number of conversations about knife crime during her school clinics.

Recognising an opportunity to work in partnership to raise awareness of the ripple effect knife crime has on communities – and to support young people’s decision making around carrying a knife – Denise brought together the Trust’s digital development team with the Violence Reduction Network, Leicestershire Police and Leicester City Council Youth Service to begin working on a solution.

Together, they produced the interactive video map, which showcases over 40 videos of real stories captured from local young people, family members and professionals such as ambulance workers, hospital staff, police and fire service members and youth workers, who have all been affected by knife crime. The map, which is hosted on LPT’s Health for Teens website and the Live Safe website, not only highlights the risks of carrying a knife and the harmful impact it can have, but also shares stories that reinforce that making positive changes are possible.

Denise, who recently completed a master’s dissertation about using multi-agency health education to reduce incidences of knife crime amongst young people and was able to bring her research into the project, said: “I first got involved in talking about knife-crime while based in a Leicester secondary school. I was working with young people on the emotional side of coercion, where some young people were being made to feel they should carry a knife by their friends or people they knew. As public health nurses, part of what we do is to work with young people to teach them about choices and help them to make the right kind of choices, even if they are experiencing peer pressure.

“I really wanted to be able to have more resources to help young people to truly understand the devastating consequences of carrying a knife and demonstrate that there is always a choice to not carry a weapon. It was important to bring together voices from across the community, from different areas and backgrounds.

“On behalf of all partners involved in the project, I’d like to thank every person who took part in the videos and shared their experiences, as their powerful stories have truly brought to life the impact that knife crime has on everyone involved.”

In order to encourage safe discussions about the impact of knife crime, the project team have also created a number of tools to help equip adults supporting young people.

LPT’s Healthy Together school nursing service is sending a free pack to every secondary school in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, which contains a lesson plan, posters, signposting to support for both young people and parents and carers – and links to the interactive map and videos.

The Violence Reduction Network is also launching a new knife crime education package on the Live Safe website, providing professionals and parents and carers with tools to educate, empower and support children and young people.

Grace Strong, Director of the Violence Reduction Network said: “Violence, particularly when a weapon such as a knife is involved, has a devastating impact. The effects are felt not only by those directly harmed, but by their families, friends, communities and the professionals who respond to these incidents. It is often described as a ripple effect, but the reality is that the impact is far greater and longer lasting.

“Preventing knife crime requires collaboration with everyone playing a role. By working together and co-designing solutions, we can reduce the likelihood of children and young people being affected by violence now and in the future.”

Some of the key warning signs that indicate a young person may be carrying a knife that parents and carers can look out for include:

  • Changes in attitude to school or education
  • Being protective or secretive about their bag or clothing
  • Expressing positive attitudes toward carrying knives (e.g., “it’s for self‑defence”)
  • Online purchases of blades or knifes arriving in the post
  • Items going missing from the home that could be used as weapons, such as kitchen knives or screwdrivers.

More help and support for parents and carers on talking to young people about carrying a knife is available on the Live Safe website. There is also information on the website about where to safely dispose of knifes in amnesty bins across Leicester and Leicestershire on the webpage.