Knife Crime Awareness Week 2025 will take place from 19th to 25th May, marking its third year as a national campaign to raise awareness, educate, and take action against knife crime.
The week will feature a range of events, including community walks, school workshops, and public discussions, all aimed at building safer environments for young people.
The UK government has announced new legislative changes under the Crime and Policing Bill, designed to give police more power to tackle knife crime. While these changes aim to increase safety and reduce violence, they also shine a spotlight on the urgent need for early intervention, mentorship, and community leadership – the very foundations of what TackleLondon stands for.
What’s Changing?
The new measures allow police to:
- Seize knives from private homes when there is a reasonable suspicion they will be used for violence.
- Increase prison sentences for crimes involving the possession, sale, or supply of banned weapons – with the maximum penalty rising from 6 months to 2 years.
- Introduce a new offence: simply possessing a knife or offensive weapon with intent to cause harm or fear, in public or private, could now result in up to 4 years in prison.
These changes come as knife crime rises by 4% year-on-year, with over 55,000 knife-related offences recorded in the year to September 2024. The majority of these incidents continue to be concentrated in metropolitan areas – including London.
Why It Matters to Us
Tougher laws may play a role in deterrence, but at TackleLondon, we believe prevention begins long before policing. The key to reducing violence isn’t just in the courtroom – it’s in the classroom, community inspiring initiatives, and in consistent mentoring relationships that change the course of a young person’s life.
For many of the young people we work with, a knife can feel like protection, status, or a way to navigate fear. But when given the opportunity to be heard, supported, and challenged through sport and mentorship, they can – and do – choose a different path.
Early Intervention Works
Rugby is more than a game. For the boys and girls at TackleLondon, it’s a lifeline. It teaches discipline, teamwork, resilience, and respect. More importantly, it creates a trusted network of coaches, mentors, and role models who guide young people away from violence and toward opportunity.
Our programme shows that with the right support, young people make positive choices – not out of fear of punishment, but out of pride and connection. When they feel backed by a community that believes in them, they want to give back. We create a cycle of positive reinforcement: our young people find belonging, and in turn, they choose to protect and strengthen the community that stands with them.
Our Message to the Community
The new knife crime measures will no doubt stir conversations in homes, schools, and on the streets. It’s crucial we don’t let fear dominate that dialogue.
Instead, let’s focus on what we can all do:
- Listen to young people and understand the pressures they face.
- Invest in programmes that build long-term relationships and skills.
- Champion mentors from within the communities most affected by knife crime.
Join us. Support us. Stand with us.
Together, we can make our communities safer – not just by removing knives, but by giving young people a reason to never pick one up.
To find out more about TackleLondon or support our mentoring programmes, contact us at info@tacklelondon.org