Reading football scheme aims to tackle knife crime

A scheme offering football training to teenagers and young adults is helping them "steer away" from getting involved in knife crime, a coach has said.

Reading FC's sessions are among the projects funded through Thames Valley Police's Violence Reduction Unit.

They are aimed at improving self-esteem and offering trusted role models.

Football coach Paul Brown, who is part of the project, said sport was a "diversionary activity" for those vulnerable to falling into crime.

The force is one of 20 across the country to get extra Home Office funding for a Violence Reduction Unit - a partnership between council, police, fire, education, health and community groups, including the Reading FC Community Trust.

The sessions, which are held on Friday on the club's indoor and outdoor training pitches, are aimed at channelling participants' energies into healthy exercise, friendship and teamwork.

Local children's charity No5 is also involved to provide mentoring and support.

Mr Brown said they were proving to be "more than just a kickabout".

"It's somewhere where young people can come and play a bit of football, but also access trusted adults outside the family home, that they can have genuine conversions with," he said.

"Basically a diversionary activity to steer them away from potential things that can happen in their community.

"They will display multiple risk factors - stuff like having negative school experiences, potentially carrying weapons, potentially in trouble with the police, so they are young people that are definitely vulnerable."

Nathan Andrews, who is one of those taking part in the scheme, said: "A lot of young people are going round carrying knives, and what this project does, is it allows young people to come in, escape all the bad sides to society."

Another participant, Tyrese Ndungu, said: "It helps with your mental health, and helps you not to get involved with, you know, wrong things. It's just a positive place to be in your lowest times."

Office for National Statistics figures show knife crime in the Thames Valley Police area is up 6% in the year to June - with 1,257 incidents recorded.

However the force insists that more up-to-date figures show a slight decrease.

Reducing knife crime has become a key target in the Thames Valley following high-profile incidents, including the murder of 13-year-old Olly Stephens in January 2022.

Supt Lewis Prescott-Mayling said: "Sport's been proven to be a very effective way of diverting people from criminality, and we commission a number of services to do sports-based provision where there have, effectively, a trusted adult.

"Some of these people have lived experience, they've been through a journey some of these young people are on, and they can guide them into adulthood and out of criminality."

As part of the twice-yearly national Operation Sceptre, Thames Valley Police said it would be targeting patrols in hotspot areas affected by knife crime as well as promoting knife amnesty bins throughout the force area.

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