A CLUB set up to counter gang violence on housing estates in Shoreditch and other parts of Hackney has been boosted by a grant of almost £50,000.

The Crib will get £49,808 over two years to combat knife-carrying, a problem throughout England. A chilling quote after the recent murder of a Hackney schoolgirl came from a friend who said boys of her acquaintance rarely carried guns: they carried knives.

The Crib, founded by campaigner Janette Collins in 1999, helps young people to start up social enterprises in fashion and catering, generally pushing young people to aspire to a better future than they might otherwise accept.

The organisation works  with the Metropolitan Police, for example, by using role-plays called Trading Places to look at stop-and-search laws. Nothing to do with the 1983 Eddie Murphy comedy of that name, although it can be fun for the youngsters as they switch roles, “arresting” police officers.

The grant is  from the Evening Standard Dispossessed Fund. Ten former gang members will be paid to use one-to-one knife and gun-awareness sessions to help 200 at-risk youngsters referred to them by the police.

Another local group, the Hackney Pirates, was given £25,873 by the fund.

Hamish Scott 200414 

* The Crib, 1 Benyon Court, De Beauvoir Estate, Balmes Road N1 5TJ (078 1390 1751) 

* Backstory: Yo-ho-ho, Hackney 

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