Gun and knife crime affecting young people is on the increase. High profile cases about London murders are in the press regularly at the moment.

That's why we're working on a Community Affairs Project in Southwark and Lambeth to talk to young people and the community about guns and knives.

The aim of the project is to increase the profile of Crimestoppers amongst young people and highlight the amount of actionable calls Crimestoppers receives from communities in Lambeth and Southwark. Members of the team have been visiting schools and youth groups in the boroughs creating awareness of Crimestoppers' anonymous phone number, 0800 555 111.

So far we've visited Harris Girls' Academy in Dulwich, where they held a police-led citizenship day at the end of last year. We talked to the young people about Crimestoppers with a focus on gun and knife crime. Other organisations who attended the day were Trident, Sapphire (about sexual offences), the New Destiny Trust (previously the Damilola Taylor Trust), OST instructors (to teach about personal safety), Southwark Anti-Social Behaviour Unit (SASBU), the Drugs Action Team and the London Fire Brigade.

Crimestoppers' Black and Minority Ethnic Co-ordinator, Angela Coley, commented: “People living in Southwark and Lambeth are exposed to gun and knife crime on a daily basis. We aim to make young people aware that there is an alternative way of reporting crime or telling authorities without identifying themselves. In these boroughs, there is an immense fear of reprisals from people who pass on information about crimes.”

As part of the scheme, the Youth Team are recruiting ‘Community Champions'. They are individuals – celebrities and persons already working in the – communities who are willing to promote Crimestoppers and highlight the affect gun and knife crime has on citizens.

Read about our first Crimestoppers Community Champion, Chris Preddie.

We're planning to visit lots more schools in Southwark and Lambeth throughout 2008, so have a look here for more information soon.