Criminal’s cash helps to teach young people in Tameside about the fatal consequences of carrying a knife

The No More Knives Tour received a cheque from GMP’s Tameside district for £20k which is being used to fund the delivery of performances to four secondary schools and two higher education establishments within the Tameside area during November 2023, to educate young people on the dangers of knife crime and highlights options available to those who feel like they have no choice but to carry a knife.

The company has been given money through Greater Manchester Police’s Asset Recovery Incentive Scheme (ARIS) funding - money seized from criminals under the Proceeds of Crime Act which is then used to pay for crime reduction activities that benefit the local community.

No More Knives is focused on educating secondary school aged children about the risks involved with carrying a knife, which could result in their futures being jeopardised.

The tour held five sessions on Tuesday 21 November covering classes from Year 7 to Year 10 at Mossley Hollins secondary school in Mossley, Tameside.

During the day, the performance explained the consequences of carrying a knife through contemporary ways, which looks to engage with young people and help them to find a voice and realise their own potential through dance and music within the performance. Neighbourhood police officers from GMP’s Tameside district also presented their own input to inform the challenges officers face with knife crime and the associated dangers from a policing perspective.

The Message Trust, who deliver the tour, conducted pilot performances in other areas of Greater Manchester which showcased successes and resulted in young people handing over their knives to the police - putting themselves and their future first.

The tour has been delivered in partnership with Tameside Neighbourhood Policing Team, who will attend every 'No More Knives' tour presentation and will educate the young people about carrying a knife and also offer information on amnesty locations for those who want to surrender their knives.

Chief Inspector Claire Galt of GMP’s Tameside neighbourhood team, said: “We really need to do all we can to spread the message to all of our young people about the fatal consequences of carrying a knife.

“We know that to tackle knife crime, we need to engage with young people in ways that they enjoy and understand and it is rewarding to see that the money we have seized from criminals in Tameside is used to fund a very good cause which will help the future of Tameside.

“If the tour can make one young person hand in their knife to one of the amnesty bins, we are one step in the right direction to creating a safer Greater Manchester.”

“We know that some young people feel like they have no choice but to carry a knife and I encourage parents and guardians to talk to their children about the dangers of carrying a knife and offer advice on where to dispose of the knives safely. Find more about amnesty bin locations near you - Forever Amnesty | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk)

"We also want the public to help by telling us who is carrying a knife. Anyone with any information about knife crime or if you know someone who is carrying a knife, please contact police on 101 or through our LiveChat facility on gmp.police.uk or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."