At the Stop The Violence talent showcase at Manchester's Chorlton Park, youngsters were handed T-shirts printed with our How Many More? picture special. The front page, published on August 7, brought home the tragic toll of gun crime as a new wave of shootings rocked the city.
In the same week, police flooded south Manchester with extra officers and the inquest into the gun killing of schoolboy Jessie James began.
The page was part of an investigation revealing the way gun criminals operate and the callous lack of regard they have for those they kill and maim.
It told the stories of the victims' families and included exclusive interviews with senior police officers.
The expose provoked such a reaction in the community that youth workers decided to give youngsters a permanent reminder of our anti-gun crime message.
The Stop The Violence showcase was set up by the council's Youth Contact Team - which steers young people away from anti-social behaviour - and Greater Manchester Police .
Organiser Angeli Sweeney, 29, said she decided to re-print the front page because it held a personal meaning for her. "The story was so shocking, especially because I knew quite a lot of people on the front page, some casually, others quite well," she said.
"I knew Marcus Greenidge, killed in Longsight seven years ago, and his brother Tyrone Gilbert, who was killed in the same area last month.
Gorton
"Kamilah Peniston, the 12-year-old schoolgirl who died earlier this year, lived behind me when I lived in Gorton.
"I also knew Jessie James, and Martin Bennett, who died in 1999.
"The investigation special came at a time when I knew I wanted to organise a summer showcase challenging gang crime and showing young people in a positive light.
"The front page fitted perfectly with the theme.
"The response to the T-shirts was phenomenal.
"All the kids wanted one to show they were turning their backs on guns and gangs and were part of a movement."
The 50 free T-shirts were snapped up so quickly that the Youth Contact Team has decided to print more to spread the message.
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
Whatever it takes, I can't reiterate enough that change HAS to stem from the grass roots, we might never erradicate violent gang culture, & we certainly can't erradicate general gang culture which has been in existance sine time began, but these initiatives can make a difference. Some might moan about taxpayers money being spent this way, but if it saves just one life, what price wouold people put on that life if it were their own children.
Spot on MEN.
stop wasting money sending kids to prison for non-violent or dangerous crime and redirect funds to steering young people away from offending and gun/gang culture instead. actually spend monday on keeping places like the powerhouse in moss side more accessible, and projects/events like the one in this article.