High Street Safer Neigbourhood Team (SNT),  in partnership with a local charity Spark2Life, are visiting the four primary schools in High Street ward promoting the message of ‘Say NO to Knives’.

In subtle, yet hard hitting presentations, children are being told of the consquences of carrying knives.

Cllr O’Rourke attended the presentation at Mission Grove Primary School and was as engrossed as the children were with the videos, group work and enactment of a stop and search.

Cllr O’Rourke said: “It is great to have such a proactive SNT and I congratulate Sgt Steedman and PC Dan Fox for extending this vital message to children in primary schools. Initiatives like these are welcome and I hope they will continue.”

Last October Cllr O’Rourke, as Chair of the Children and Young Peoples Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee, took a report on tackling knife crime in Waltham Forest. A key recommendation has resulted in Waltham Forest getting ten new Police Officers with two for High Street ward.

Click here for more information about Spark2Life.

Stoneydown and Mission Grove Primary Schools have received the presentation. Coppermill and St Patrick’s Primary Schools will receive their presentations before the summer break.