Knife crime: Urdd joins forces with London charity

Young people's concerns over knife crime have been the focus of this year's annual peace message from the Welsh youth organisation Urdd Gobaith Cymru.

The group launched the message outside Wales for the first time, as students from Cardiff attended a knife crime awareness workshop in London.

This year's message aims to give young people a voice and challenge politicians to do more to prevent violent crime.

The message of peace and goodwill dates back to 1922.

This year's message was supported by the Welsh Language Minister Baroness Morgan and the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.

Pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr in Cardiff joined young people from London at a new partnership with the charity Eastside Young Leaders Academy (EYLA).

Sian Lewis, the chief executive of the Urdd said young people were too often the victims of violence.

"This partnership takes our proud record of reaching out to the world to another level and provides a timely and disturbing reminder of the critical need to give voice to the concerns of young people," she said.

Ray Lewis, director of the EYLA said: "Our students know far too well that ignorance, anxiety and misunderstanding can lead to violence, often fatal.

"We are grateful to the Urdd for reaching out to us and providing a platform for our young leaders to advocate for change - so they can live without fear and raise their aspirations for a brighter future".

EYLA students recently took part in an initiative called Beat the Blades following the murder of 14-year-old Jaden Moodie in east London in February.

A hundred people have been killed as a result of stabbings in the UK since the start of the year, almost half of them aged under 30.