Students at St. Paul’s Academy, Abbey Wood and Greenwich Free School, Woolwich organised a Youth Safety event with Chief Superintendent Simon Dobinson, Police Borough Commander for Greenwich borough. The event on Tuesday 11th July was organised, with community charity Citizens UK, after students reported incidents that made them feel vulnerable in their local area. The students discussed proposals around piloting CitySafe havens in Abbey Wood and Thamesmead, improving street lighting in Woolwich, and designing school workshops encouraging young victims to report crime.

CitySafe havens sees businesses, shops, and public buildings offering refuge for young people feeling under threat of violence. There are currently around 600 CitySafe Havens in London. Sadiq Khan's new Knife Crime Strategy, launched last month, calls on fast food outlets to be part of an expansion of the scheme. McDonald's and KFC have both confirmed their intention to be involved.

Tyler Smith, 14, student at St. Paul’s Academy, said: “I felt the meeting was useful. We are really grateful that Simon Dobinson agreed to work with us.”

Patrick Winston, Principal at St Paul’s Academy, said: “As a school, we do all we can to keep our students safe, through our police liaison officer and our own staff. We believe in the ability of our students to grow and develop as leaders in the community. I’m proud of our students and grateful for Chief Superintendent Dobinson’s commitments to them.”

Rhys Spiers, Head Teacher at Greenwich Free School, said: “I’m delighted that our students’ research project into local street lighting has led to key meetings with local politicians and our Police Borough Commander. We are proud of their work, embodying the very best of our school’s values: Growth, Fellowship and Scholarship.”

Submitted by Froi Legaspi