The next phase in a new national billboard campaign featuring young people standing together against knife crime was unveiled today by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith, on a visit to Wolverhampton.
The new interactive campaign will run throughout the next three months in urban, residential areas across England and Wales, including the ten areas involved in the Tackling Knives Action Programme. Young people are encouraged to show their support by uploading their own anti-knife photo pledges to the Bebo website. Their images are included on the latest versions of the posters being unveiled today by the Home Secretary.
Home Secretary Jacqui Smith said:
"Young people in Wolverhampton and across the country are sending a clear message that weapons won't be tolerated on our streets. These posters are about encouraging communities to stand united with us in the fight to tackle knife crime.
"The vast majority of young people are honest and law-abiding. Over 60,000 young people have visited the "It Doesn't Have to Happen" page on Bebo and the site has over 6,000 friends.
"It is through them that we will continue spreading the message more widely that carrying a knife is not acceptable. We can't do this alone - we need the help of local communities to make a stand."
The new billboards are the latest step in the Government's £3 million national marketing campaign, "It Doesn't Have to Happen", which was launched in May this year.
The campaign, created by young people, for young people, has used radio and viral adverts to reach its target audience and direct them to a dedicated page on the Bebo social networking site where they can come together in the fight against knife crime. So far 9.6 million young people have seen the adverts on websites and 2.8 million people have heard the radio adverts.
The campaign recently ran a competition among its Bebo friends to design a logo to support campaign activity. The winning logo, designed by 15 year old Hannah Cooper from Wolverhampton, was voted for from a total of 80 entries.
Hannah Cooper said:
"I was really pleased to win the Bebo logo competition. As part of my prize for winning the competition I got the chance to go and see my logo being developed at an agency and then went to a reception where I met with some of the Olympic athletes and Prime Minister Gordon Brown.
"I have sent in my picture pledge for the outdoor poster and have told all of my classmates about the "It Doesn't Have to Happen" campaign. I think it is really important that young people come together and make a stand against knife crime."
