Last week, Caritas Westminster was pleased to host ‘Tackling Knife Crime in Local Communities’ at St Paul the Apostle parish in Haringey. Organised in partnership with the Godwin Lawson Foundation and Word 4 Weapons, and with support from the Metropolitan Police, this powerful event saw members of the local community come together to confront the devastating impact of knife crime and explore practical responses to the issue.
The evening focused on current action being taken in Haringey to tackle knife crime, particularly through local partnerships, education and preventative work. The parish of St Paul the Apostle was an ideal setting for the occasion, having already installed a Word4Weapons knife amnesty bin and previously hosted a similar event. The parish is also involved in a range of social initiatives, making it a strong example of commitment to supporting the local community.
Attendees included local residents, youth organisations, parishioners, and representatives from the Metropolitan Police, including local officers and the Borough Commander. The event was also attended by members of other parishes, notably the Justice and Peace group at St. Mellitus in Tollington Park, who continue to advocate on issues of justice and youth safety.
Yvonne Lawson, founder of the Godwin Lawson Foundation, spoke movingly about the story of her 17-year-old son Godwin; a bright, talented young footballer who was tragically killed while protecting his friends. Her story reminded all present that knife crime can affect any family, regardless of background or circumstances.
She also explained how the Godwin Lawson Foundation works closely with Haringey Council to reduce knife crime through educational programmes, school engagement and youth-focused projects, to help young people build confidence, resilience, and grow their opportunities.
Sandra Campbell, CEO of Word 4 Weapons and former Police officer, then shared her thoughts from the perspectives of law enforcement and community engagement. She recounted the story of a young boy who reached out to the charity after finding a large zombie knife in his brother’s room, and received guidance on how to safely dispose of the weapon in a local amnesty bin. Campbell noted that this is part of the charity’s multifaceted approach to tackling knife crime: providing safe disposal points, raising awareness, and offering practical support to ensure different aspects of the issue are addressed.
The evening concluded with remarks from Borough Commander Marco Bardetti of the Metropolitan Police, who gave an overview of the current situation in Haringey, the work being done by officers on the ground, and participated in an informative Q&A session. He stressed the importance of advocating for issues in one’s borough, and urged attendees to be a voice for their local community and inform the Police of priority issues.
The event provided valuable insight into the challenges surrounding knife crime in Haringey, as well as highlighting the work already being done to address it. It gave space for honest discussion, reflection, and questions from the community. Above all, it showed the importance of local organisations, parishes and residents working together to tackle such a complex and serious issue.
Yvonne Lawson said it best: ‘Collaboration is the way forward; nobody can do it by themselves, but everybody can do something, and sometimes the smallest action can make a huge difference.’
