Preston interfaith charity to hold online event on knife crime in the city

A Preston-based interfaith charity which seeks to bring communities together is holding a digital event titled 'Is Knife Crime a Problem in Preston?' this week to discuss the rising rate of knife crime in the city.
The poster for the online eventThe poster for the online event
The poster for the online event

The Light Foundation, a non-profit founded in the early 2010s, will be hosting the discussion on Facebook Live at 7.30pm on Thursday 21 and will welcome a range of people and experts to offer their opinions including MP Sir Mark Hendrick, a rpresentative from Lancashire Police, and anti-knife crime campaigner Byron Highton, whose 18-year-old brother Jon-Jo was stabbed to death in Deepdale in 2014.

"The increase in knife crime, and the two most recent murders of Adam Le Roi and Sarmad Ali-Saidi in Preston in the space of two months, has been shocking and frightening for those who have children and young adults," said a spokesperson for The Light Foundation.

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"We have spoken to people in our community from all backgrounds who are seriously thinking of moving areas, which is sad. The purpose of this event is to raise awareness on this very important subject, with the overall aim of working alongside key partners, to ensure that we build on more positive alternatives for our youth."

Byron HightonByron Highton
Byron Highton

Sir Mark Hendrick, MP for Preston, commented: "There are agencies in Lancashire and Preston in particular that share my concerns about the increasing numbers of knives being carried by young people and the dangers that brings to young people, families and friends that are affected by knife crime. I look forward to a positive discussion on how we can tackle this scourge."

To join the discussion, follow this link at 7.30 on Thursday January 21.

The full list of guest panellists lined up for the event include:

- Lancashire Police

Sir Mark Hendrick MPSir Mark Hendrick MP
Sir Mark Hendrick MP

- Sir Mark Hendrick MP (Member of Parliament for Preston)

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- Byron Highton (anti-knife crime campaigner who set up The JJ Effect to try and steer youths away from knife crime after the murder of his brother Jon-Jo Highton in Deepdale 2014)

- Local imam and humanitarian Moulana Amjad Bapu

- Preston city councillor for St Matthew's ward Jonathan Grisdale (Coun Grisdale is also the chair of the Unite union's Black and Asian Ethnic Minority chapter for the North West)

- Former Lancashire Police superintendent Andy Pratt (now interfaith adviser to the Bishop of Blackburn)

- Youth and community outreach worker Fayyaz Ahmed (Mr Ahmed set up youth football team Fishwick Rangers to help defuse racial tensions in Preston)

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