A campaign which aimed to encourage young people to carry a basketball rather than a knife will soon mark its fifth anniversary.
The ‘Carry A Basketball Not A Blade’ CABNAB project, launched by the Newham All Stars Sports Academy, will celebrate its fifth anniversary on September 16 at Rokeby School in Canning Town.
The campaign was launched to tackle the growing issues of knife crime, gang activity and anti-social behaviour.
Since then NASSA has worked with hundreds of young people and has developed a unique, highly successful community programme that is delivered in 41 schools across Newham with over 2000 young people per week attending extra-curricular basketball sessions.
East Ham MP Stephen Timms, Rob Jones, Newham Borough Commander and Deputy Mayor Lester Hudson are among those expected to attend the event which will include a minute’s silence for the victims of knife crime.
The former Young Mayor of Newham Ali Mohammed, several Newham councillors and representatives from Tate & Lyle Sugars, London City Airport and ExCeL are also expected to attend.
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