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New Addington and Shrublands share £80,000 youth crime fund

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A grant of £80,000 from the Mayor of London’s violence reduction unit is to be divided up among three groups in Croydon working with the borough’s youth to provide “targeted support to guide them away from crime”, the council announced this morning.

The council invited organisations to bid for funding grants from the violence reduction unit, initially in two areas – New Addington and the town centre. Extra funding has also made available to help tackle the issue on the Shrublands estate.

The support grants, none of which amount to more than £30,000, are intended to provide one-to-one mentoring, group work, sports activities and help into education, training and jobs.

There have been a spate of violent knife crime incidents around the borough over the past few weeks, including a stabbing in Sanderstead, a separate incident at the Colonnades, off the Purley Way, in which the victim needed hospital treatment, and a mass fight involving schoolchildren – some carrying weapons – outside McDonald’s on Church Street, where boys of 14 were arrested.

In April, 22-year-old Tyrese Miller was shot dead near Mitcham Common. The police have charged four men, the oldest aged 20, with murder.

The cash-strapped council says it will be working closely with the three organisations which are to receive the grants.

In central Croydon, P4YE – Project 4 Youth Empowerment – has received £30,000 to deliver group activities and conversations, as well as one-to-one mentoring with those in need of more of support.

PlayPlace has received £30,000 to support 50 young people in New Addington aged from 12 to 25 through activities like multi-sports, music production and learning first aid. There will also be sessions designed specifically for girls, as well as workshops on self-esteem, setting goals, social media, decision-making and knife crime.

In Shrublands, Gloves not Gunz has been awarded £20,000 to offer on-street outh work, mentoring, group work, sports and help with finding jobs, training, and education. They will also set up boxing, mixed martial arts, jiu-jitsu and yoga sessions.

Adam Ballard, the co-founder of Gloves not Gunz said, “We will be using a strategic approach with detached outreach work, enrichment sessions, mentoring and employability and training support to help change the trajectory of those that find themselves involved in crime, exploitation and violence.”


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