A relatively small insurance firm based in West Croydon has raised £30,000 in just a year, money that is being donated to local anti-violence charity Lives Not Knives.
Cheque mates: LNK’s Eliza Ribeiro (second right) accepts part of the donation from FSB Insurance Service, and Rugby World Cup-winner Will Greenwood (right)
“If a small team like ours can help raise £30,000, imagine the difference we could make if more local businesses got involved,” said Duncan Ruby, of FSB Insurance Service.
LNK works with young people aged from nine to 21, offering mentoring, education and safe spaces that give them alternatives to violence.
With LNK nominated as their charity of the year for 2024, members of the insurance firm undertook a sponsored 30-mile trek across the South Downs. “The event was more than just a physical challenge, it became a rallying point for donations and awareness,” Ruby said.
Finance manager Vicky Dodsworth, who completed the trek in 15 hours, said: “We’re just a small business, but small businesses can do big things when we care enough. It was tough, but every step reminded us why we were doing it.”
The money raised will be used by Lives Not Knives to fund a range of activities, including:
- Educational Roadshows: interactive sessions in schools that raise awareness about the dangers of knife crime and promote positive choices.
- Youth Hub: A safe and welcoming space where young people can access workshops and community support.
The money raised by FSB Insurance Service was boosted by generous contributions from the Markel International Matched Giving Fund and the Aviva Broker Community Fund.
“This funding allows us to continue supporting young people, empowering them to make positive choices,” said Eliza Ribeirio, the founder of Lives Not Knives.
“We are proud to stand behind Lives Not Knives. This partnership aligns perfectly with our values of protecting communities and investing in young people’s futures,” said David Perry, the CEO of FSB Insurance Service.
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The Met’s Monthly Crime Data dashboard records show that compared to 2022, knife crime in Croydon in 2024 was up by nearly 25%.
While part-time Tory Mayor Perry and local Tory MP Chris Philp are hailing the introduction of part-time Facial Recognition Cameras in North End and London Road, a nationwide study just published by private security firm Get Licensed has found that Croydon had the lowest CCTV coverage per 100,000 people, and the highest proportion of faulty cameras.
Their research revealed that 58% of Croydon’s CCTV cameras were faulty in 2023, and nearly 30% remained “non-operational” as of April 3, 2025.
They also found that Croydon had the lowest proportion of public space CCTV cameras in the UK, with 98 public across the borough, working out at just 25 per 100,000 residents.
Perry’s manifesto promise that “as Mayor I would partner with the Police to provide the necessary equipment, be it mobile knife arches or wands, to get dangerous weapons off our streets” hasn’t materialised. His statement that “Things are going to get worse” is his only claim that has actually come true.
Given his lack of concern over the destruction of ULEZ cameras, we shouldn’t be surprised