Faith leaders and community representatives have been rewarded for their hard work in combating gang violence and radicalisation in Lewisham.

Lewisham Mayor Sir Steve Bullock awarded the multi-faith group Crying Sons Ltd the certificate for their hard work in the borough.

This included stamping out gang violence, sexual exploitation, radicalisation and drug dealing.

Crying Sons runs training programmes in the borough focused at black faith group leaders on the serious issues of gangs and exploitation.

Gwenton Sloley, director of Crying Sons Ltd, said: “With a significant amount of young people affected by gangs serious youth violence and exploitation being black, there is also a substantial amount having faith as a significant factor in their upbringing. This can be evidenced in both the funerals and prisons.

“The training also enables both the black churches and Mosques to work together to address this issue at the same time also minimising the potential of individuals moving from the radicalisation of gang activity to that of extremism.”