News
ANTI-GANG GROUP WIN THE TOCH 2007 COMMUNITY AWARDS23 Apr 2007 |
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| A team of pupils from Hackney Free Parochial Church of England School was announced as the winner of the Toc H 2007 Community Awards on Friday 20th April. Judges decided that the project delivered by 11 young people from the school, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of gang culture and related crimes, will make a real and positive contribution to the communities in which they live. During a ceremony at Shadwell Basin Outdoor Activity Centre, at which three finalist schools were invited, pupils from Hackney Free explained that the death of the teenager Damilola Taylor who was stabbed with a broken bottle and bled to death in a stairwell in November 2000, was the initial inspiration for the project. John Ross Smellie, one of the winners, said: “More and more teenagers are dying and we want to stop the gang culture that is causing this to happen. We want to be able to walk in our streets and feel safe without having to worry that we will get shot or stabbed.” There are various aspects to the project – to raise awareness of the dangers of gangs through posters and leaflets and also an anti-gang booklet for circulation in other schools. There are also activities intended to bring young people together such as a graffiti workshop, five-a-side football tournament and a barbeque and talent show. “The tag phrase for our project is ‘don't join a gang, join a team” explained John. The two other schools to reach the finals were Eltham Hill Technology College in Greenwich which came second for a super learning project which aims to support and encourage younger pupils from other schools and Rooks Heath College from South Harrow which came third for developing a community carnival involving numerous schools and youth groups in their area. Mary Rance, chief executive of national charity Toc H which is dedicated to eliminating social exclusion, said: “All of the finalists demonstrated their commitment to improving the communities in which they live. However, three fatal shootings of schoolboys within a five-mile area of London in a 12-day period recently, highlight the real need for initiatives such as the Hackney Free project. All young people should have the right to be safe in the communities in which they live and this project is dedicated to making this a happen.” After a morning of kayaking, high ropes and rock climbing at Shadwell Basin Activity Centre, followed by a buffet lunch kindly provided by Waitrose, the pupils were presented with trophies and computers donated by AlphaSmart UK and Jags Trophies. |       |