THE recent loss of young lives across the West of England is a huge concern.
At my annual Schools Summit, students pitch ideas to me for new policies.
Sometimes it’s the environment, transport, or about skills. This year’s big theme turned out to be how to tackle knife crime.
Many young people are currently worried, anxious and unclear about what they can do to best avoid knife violence. But they know the awful toll of young lives only too well.
Mason Rist and Max Dixon – aged just 15 and 16 respectively – were stabbed in Knowle West back in January.
Darrian Williams, also just 16, was killed in Easton in February.
Another 16-year-old, Mikey Roynon, was stabbed and killed at a birthday party in Bath last June.
In 2022, Radstock teenager Charley Bates was another young victim. His killer was prosecuted last August.
Knife crime is impacting young people, who are changing their behaviour from fear, for example staying in more and not seeing their friends so frequently.
There is no single answer – far from it. But I do know we must act.
We need to invest in young people and the resources that help them. Real-terms reductions to local council budgets for the past 14 years have hit youth services very badly.
There is also a lack of mental health support for youngsters growing up in an ever more complex and fast-changing world. As a former NSPCC-trained child protection officer, this is something close to my heart.
Young people need mentors, to take part in activities that build their self-esteem. They also need access to first rate support from qualified professionals.
Sadly, young people are staying away from youth clubs and youth provision because they and their parents are frightened. That’s a vicious circle we need to break.
We also need to smash the myth that carrying a knife makes you safer. It doesn’t.
However secure it makes you feel, you’re actually more likely to be stabbed with your own knife than anyone else’s. By carrying a knife, you’re potentially arming your attacker.
The police are right to hold knife amnesties. But the fall in police numbers and prosecutions under this government is unacceptable. I also can’t fathom the reason to wait until the autumn to ban dangerous ‘zombie knives’ and machetes.
And when the worst happens, we need people trained to react.
At my schools summit, youngsters learnt from the brilliant anti-knife crime campaigner Leanne Reynolds how to use ‘bleed kits’, which contain everything needed to give first aid to someone rapidly losing blood.
So, here’s the deal: to tackle knife crime head-on, we need to get everyone on board – community groups, charities, businesses, police and especially young people.
It also requires political parties to work together, something as West of England Mayor I’m keen to encourage.
The senseless loss of young life is an utter and total tragedy. It’s time for action, so we can beat it – together.