Churches are being urged to offer safe spaces for young people at risk of violence.
It comes after the fatal stabbing of Harvey Willgoose, a 15 year old pupil at All Saints Catholic High School in Sheffield on Monday.
A 15 year old boy has been charged with his murder and he's also been charged with possession of a bladed article and one count of affray.
Bishop Lenford Rowe who is chair of Synergy Network, a coalition of churches, charities and organisations working to end youth violence, told Premier Christian News his heart was “broken by the news and I'm sure the hearts of many are broken.
“I am deeply concerned about knife crime, it has gone on for so long. We are now only two months in 2025 and several of our young people have been stabbed, and what are we going to be do about it? It’s all of us, it’s our business to do as much as we can.”
Synergy Network has a seat at government discussions on the issue, trying to influence policy and making positive contributions as to how to move forward. Bishop Rowe says he is encouraged by the government’s stance and he thinks churches also have a major role to play:
“I think churches can help. Churches can create safe spaces for young people, particularly in the summer months, when the academic year comes to an end, that is when we see a peak. So safe spaces can be provided, mentors can be provided, and educational programmes will help.
“Some church services could also be tailored to talk specifically about knife crime.”
Bishop Rowe would also like to see TV advertising campaigns shown at a time when younger people are viewing, showing the dangers of carrying a knife and the consequences. And he says there should be discussions over the wider culture such as “aggressive music, violent films, immersive games, the magazines that take you into a gun-toting, knife-ridden world. I think all these things go into the mix and create problems for our young people.
“I think there is a spiritual element to this and it’s something we need to pray into.
“We need to break the demonic plan, because I think it is demonic in its construct. So I think churches can spend time on their knees trying to nail this evil.”