Ben Kinsella fund established
A new £250,000 fund for projects to tackle knife crime has been launched in memory of Ben Kinsella who was murdered in 2008.
Fifty grants will be available for young people to run positive anti-knife crime activities in their local area.
Money will be given to projects which directly benefit disadvantaged young people and will be targeted at areas with high levels of knife crime and serious youth violence.
Youth charity, the Prince’s Trust, will look after the fund and also provide a a dedicated mentor to each selected project who will assist the young people in delivering their project and provide them with skills to help them into work or training.
Life skills
Theresa May said: ‘The Ben Kinsella Fund will help young people deliver valuable projects in their local areas whilst providing them with long-term life skills.
‘Local people know what works in their community and this fund will help some inspiring young people really make a difference to their neighbourhoods.’
Help from Brooke Kinsella
Sister of murdered Ben, Brooke Kinsella, will work with the Prince’s Trust to select successful projects.
Over the past few months, the campaigner and actress has been leading a fact-finding mission into the work of schemes designed to stop young people carrying and using knives. She visited 23 projects across the country during August and September.
The Home Secretary praised Miss Kinsella for her efforts: ‘I am extremely grateful to Brooke for the hard work she has undertaken over the last few months. It is clear that there is some great work going on across the country to tackle knife crime.
Making a difference
Miss Kinsella added: ‘Over the last few years I have seen people of all ages working together with their neighbours, the police, local charities and government to try and make a difference.’
‘This fund will give some of these young people the support they need to run anti-knife crime projects in their local area and I really hope it will make a difference to their neighbourhoods.’