Idris Elba says work to tackle youth violence is moving in the right direction

Idris Elba has said tackling serious youth violence is a marathon, not a sprint but feels progress is “moving in the right direction”.

The 52-year-old Luther actor launched a campaign earlier this year calling for an immediate ban on machetes and so-called zombie knives and met Sir Keir Starmer in September to launch a new anti-knife crime coalition.

To celebrate the progress made this year, Elba has opened a Christmas pop-up in central London with his initiative Don’t Stop Your Future (DSYF), which works with community grassroots organisations in a bid to put an end to knife crime.

At the pop-up, Elba told the PA news agency: “Since January, which was really a big moment for us in amplifying our messaging, we’ve had really key moments throughout the year, the pinnacle being having real large conversations with Keir Starmer, the new administration, really forming some of the manifesto that we put out in January, which were some of the targets.

“One of those targets was ‘How do we get some joined-up thinking around it? How do we get a coalition?’ We’ve started that coalition. There’s been a second series of talks since the first one.

“We’re moving in the right direction. It is a long marathon. It’s not a sprint. But quite frankly, we’ve got our point across I think this is a crisis for our country.

“We think we need joined-up thinking around it and I think we’re getting this slowly.”

The festive multicultural, cross-generational pop-up will be running in Shoreditch, London from December 12 to 15.

Funds raised will go towards the DSYF project, grassroots and youth organisations as well as charities who all focus on tackling serious youth violence.

Elba said: “We’ve got DJs, we’ve got people making Christmas cards over there, the energy is good, but the point is, people know what we’re doing. We’re trying to raise money and awareness for knife crime.”

The pop-up also features a ‘pay what you can’ barber as well as serving mulled wine and mince pies.

The actor is fronting a new BBC documentary about knife crime where he discusses solutions with the King and the Prime Minister.

In the hour-long programme, which has the working title of Idris Elba: A Year Of Knife Crime, the actor meets young offenders, bereaved families, youth workers and the police, to understand why there has been an upward trend in knife crime.

Labour introduced a ban on zombie-style knives after taking office in July, which came into effect on September 24.

Office for National Statistics (ONS) data shows knife crimes recorded by the police rose by 4% in the year up to the end of June 2024.

There were 50,973 offences – 1,876 more than the previous year (49,187).

Don’t Stop Your Future presents its Christmas pop-up from Thursday December 12 to Sunday December 15, 12pm to 8pm at 19 Hanbury Street, London.

Published: 12/12/2024 by Radio NewsHub