Following the violent deaths of their children and experiencing a profound need to bring something good and positive out of something bad, affected families have come together to make a difference.

E tenebris lux. From the darkness (comes) light.

What We Think - The Families Utd blog

Calling for your Spirit of London Nominations

It’s that time of year again, when the Spirit of Lodon Awards are calling for nominations for 2011.

Now in its 3rd year, the awards initially created by the Damilola Taylor Trust and supported by Families Utd are looking to find this year’s crop of youngsters doing amamzing things in their community. Dubbed the ‘Community Oscars’, these awards exist to recongnise the good in London’s Youth – and we need to know who are the people who are doing great things – there are loads of different categories – so there shouldn’t be a problem finding one for that person who you think deserves an amazing night where they are the stars of the show.

To nominate someone please click here – www.spiritoflondonawards.com/nominations

If you want to know more about the event – then please visit their website

Finally, if you don’t have time for that, then please watch the short video above

Thanks

Families Utd

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Calling for your Spirit of London Nominations

Brooke Kinsella launches knife crime report

The Government has pledged £18m towards stopping knife, gun and gang crime after actress Brooke Kinsella launched a report on the issue.

Kinsella, who used to play Kelly Taylor in EastEnders, said she hoped the money would help people who were involved in anti-knife crime projects continue their work. Her 16-year-old brother Ben was killed in a fight in London in June 2008.

The 27-year-old became a government adviser on knife crime in 2010.

“Today is a big step for me, with almost £20m dedicated. For me that’s a massive difference,” she told BBC Radio 1Xtra News.

‘Think again’

“It means help for these projects out there, a lot of these people do this just for their passion and because they want to see good out there.”

Ben Kinsella was knifed in a north London street in 2008 – read his story here

The actress, who spent July and August 2010 researching the problem with project leaders and community workers, said that she had learned that stopping knife crime wasn’t all about harsh prison sentences.

“If you’ve got a young kid out there who’s nine or 10 years old and he’s carried a knife for the first time ‘cos he’s seen 20 bigger boys with knives, I can understand why you don’t want to put them in prison and lock them away.

“I’ve come around to the way of thinking that rehabilitation and re-education might have a bigger impact,” she continued.

“But that balance does need to be addressed and we do need to be tough with repeat offenders and adults who should know better.

“I would plead with anyone who carries a knife to please think again about the damage it can do.”

REPRINTED WITH THANKS TO BBC

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Brooke Kinsella launches knife crime report

Brooke to assess the effectiveness of government projects to help prevent serious violent crime by young people.

The Home Secretary asks former Eastenders star (and founding family member), Brooke Kinsella, to assess the effectiveness of government projects to help prevent serious violent crime by young people. Brooke Kinsella, will carry out a fact-finding mission looking at schemes designed to stop young people carrying and using knives, the Home Secretary announced today.

Ms Kinsella, whose brother Ben was murdered two years ago this week, has been asked by the Home Secretary and Prime Minister to visit projects across the country and report on their effectiveness.  (Read the press release here).

Horrible consequences

Her findings, including details of projects she thinks are making the biggest difference, will be presented to the Home Secretary later this year to help shape the government’s work on preventing violent crime.

‘Most young people are hard working and law abiding, but those who carry knives need to know it’s wrong and the horrible consequences of their actions,’ said Ms Kinsella,  ‘I’m pleased the Home Secretary has asked me to do this work because I want to make sure youngsters across the country are getting the best help available – in the hope it helps stop other families going through what we did.’

Theresa May added: ‘The tragic loss of life we’ve seen on our streets, like the death of Ben Kinsella, is unacceptable and we need to help young people stay safe by ensuring they know the dangers of carrying and using knives.’

Brooke will begin visiting projects across the country from next month – sitting in on education sessions, meeting mentors and speaking with young people.

We say well done Brooke

Article taken from Home Office website

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Brooke to assess the effectiveness of government projects to help prevent serious violent crime by young people.

In memory of the families who have suffered loss – please give us 7 mins of your time to watch the film in the link below

Watch Over Me is a personal safety soap opera for secondary schools based on real-life stories and designed to help young people learn how to manage risk and stay safe.

Jimmy’s parents, TV presenter Ben Shephard,  Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe and Families Utd, as ambassadors for Kids Taskforce, are joining together to appeal to teenagers to listen to the vital messages in the film and to parents to help bring the free resource into every classroom.

The films are based on real life stories – watch out for the full versions, but for now watch this, pass it on, and if you haven’t already joined Count Me In, then please click the like button on the left hand side.

Personal safety film in memory of Jimmy Mizen

Kids Taskforce aims to set a national standard of safety education in schools and to ensure that every child in Britain receives that information. We believe that children have the right to know how they can keep themselves safe and who in the community can help them.

Once again thanks for your continued support

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In memory of the families who have suffered loss – please give us 7 mins of your time to watch the film in the link below

Thanks from all of us at Families Utd for supporting ‘Count Me In’

Though the push continues to get as many names as we can on our Facebook Page, we are so overwhelmed with the response, that we wanted to thank you, and to remind everyone to keep pushing – 35,000 fans and rising, so please continue to help us reach the magic million.

Please feel free to distribute this video as much as you want – with one proviso (they join www.facebook.com/countmein)

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Thanks from all of us at Families Utd for supporting ‘Count Me In’
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