Anyone who was in Brockley last Friday couldn't have failed to notice the helicopter circling overhead and the voices of hundreds of young people chanting the CitySafe message:
"This is our community,
these are our streets,
these are our shops,
this is a City Safe Haven,
this area is OUR CITY SAFE HAVEN!"
Over 700 children formed a human chain with police, politicians, religious and community groups to celebrate the City Safe Haven campaign. This is a campaign which grew out of the loss of twelve young lives across London including Jimmy Mizen who was murdered in Lee in 2008.
Over the last two years, pupils from Prendergast Ladywell Fields College, working with their local primary schools, have introduced the City Safe Haven campaign to the majority of businesses in our area. Participating shops put a 'Safe Haven' sticker in their window identifying them as a place where young people can run to if they feel threatened.
Being there on Friday was a wonderful, happpy empowering community experience with all the young people shouting as one -
loud and clear!
Video of Human Chain!
Photomontage!
Families United
BBC London news on City Safe Haven