Student tackles knife crime issue at school

A teenager has written to this blog calling for changes in how knives are sold in the retail environment - as well as broader issues including knives used to protect young people from bullies.

I'm placing it as a formal blog entry to show how strongly and emotively that smart young people feel about this issue, not forgetting they too will work, run and vote in the UK in years to come.

Thanks Hannah - why not encourage friends and teachers who were affected by your drama performance to contribute their thoughts here? Going forward, I'll be putting this 'living petition' blog in front of MPs, police etc - and anyone else readers and contributors can think of. Simply - write your ideas, your feelings here.

Hannah's blog post:

"My name is Hannah - I'm a 14-year-old girl from Havant near to where the terrible incident happened in the Chichester Gate McDonalds.

"Although I had nothing to do with this, I feel strongly about the issue. Last year in my drama lesson at school, we were preparing a piece for a drama performance evening. Our class chose to do Theatre In Education - meaning that we have to educate the audience with our pieces.

"My idea was Knife Crime in schools, and how children bring knives into school for protection from bullies. It was a subject that touched the hearts of all of the audience - which is what we intended - and they came away knowing more about Knife Crime.

"Although most other groups chose to do something normal like drugs or sex, I chose Knife Crime because I think it's a very serious matter and people my age need to be told about it.

"Something needs to be done NOW before it gets worse, and more people die. Shops need to STOP selling knives asap... otherwise more fatalities will happen.

"Please help Mark and me to stop knife crime now."