SOS to host the first knife crime Conference in the South West

Over the past two years Exeter’s youth health social enterprise SOS Global has received funding from the Home Office Communities Against Guns Gangs & Knives Fund (CAGGK) to develop an anti-knife crime project in Exeter and the surrounding areas. The CEO Dawn Dines has been a key driving force behind the initiative and will present her findings at a regional conference at The Guildhall, Exeter on 26 April 2013 from 1.30pm to 3.30pm. It will be opened by the Lord Mayor and guest speakers include his Honour Judge Cottle, Police and Crime Commissioner Tony Hogg and Superintendent Chris Eastwood from the Devon & Cornwall Constabulary.

The Home Office Initiative, CAGGK along with other government departments, is working to end gang culture and youth violence in the UK and is committed to making our communities safer places for everyone.

Dawn Dines said, “We have been working with young people throughout the region, developing a grass roots project that works for them. The prime concern has been to reduce the prevalence of knife crime, violent and antisocial behaviour through an early intervention education program and providing pathways for people to avoid or progress away from the gang culture.

We have been supported by a wide range of key officials and organisations throughout the area and I am pleased to announce that together we are making a real difference.
I am proud to announce the results of our work to date, statistics and presentations will be delivered at The Guildhall conference”

Tony Hogg, Police and Crime Commissioner said, “I would first of all like to thank the organisers of this event and for asking me to support it. Tackling Knife Crime is something that we should all be very concerned about, even in a relatively safe area such as Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Thankfully incidents in this part of the world are not as common as elsewhere, but they do exist and we must never become complacent.  The moment we do that, we begin to lose the battle. This battle is one I am very much want to be involved in as the PCC”

Attendance is by invitation only. To find out more mail info@sosglobal.org or call 01392 247904