Latest news with #JusticeInMotion
BBC News
04-07-2025
- BBC News
Sleaford students warned about county lines through drama
More than 400 students have been learning about the dangers associated with organised crime and county lines drug gangs through a creative production, called CODE, was performed at St George's Academy in Sleaford by charity Justice in Motion, which has been touring for two years to raise awareness of the issue.A mixture of physical theatre and bike stunts, along with rap and music were used to tell the story of an individual who gets involved in knife crime and drug Meinhardt, artistic director of the charity, said: "The show touches pretty much everyone in society. Too many children are involved in a trade that is an exploitation of young people." The term county lines refers to criminal gangs who move illegal drugs from cities to rural locations, and sell them using dedicated mobile phone gangs often recruit young or vulnerable people to distribute the drugs, according to Lincolnshire Home Office estimates that about 14,500 children were identified as at risk or involved in child criminal exploitation in 12, who watched the performance, said: "I thought it was an excellent performance. It wasn't just a lecture, and it used younger people which not many performances do."Louise, 13, added: "I thought it was a really important message to tell everyone that no matter what age, gender or race you are it could happen to anyone."The show was part of a three-day residency in the area, which also included workshops and will also be performances on Saturday at 10:30 and 14:00 BST at Sleaford Market Place. The events have been organised by North Kesteven District Council, alongside Lincolnshire County Council Public Health and the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership. Sgt Mel Standbrook, education sergeant at Lincolnshire Police, said: "If children are preyed upon, or if they do find they're being groomed or exploited, it's about being able to say this is what's happening, and this is how I can get help."Preventative education around knife crime and county lines is really important for our young people." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
New show in Great Yarmouth tackles child exploitation by gangs
A performance at a seaside arts festival has shed light on youth knife crime and how young people are exploited by county drug lines. The production called Code follows a teenage boy named Nicky who does not realise he has been caught up in knife crime until it is too in Motion, an award-winning theatre company, performed the play at the Out There Festival in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, on Meinhardt, the group's artistic director, said: "We want young people to be deterred from this life of crime; it might look glamorous, it might look fun, it might look great, but the reality of it is a very different one." She said the show was a blend of physical theatre, parkour and bike stunts, with live rap and Meinhardt said: "We noticed that young people really respond to those art forms."[The play] has a really beautiful and touching story based on true events."There were more than 3,200 knife offences committed by children in England and Wales in the year ending March 2024, according to the Youth Justice Board's annual statistics. This figure is 20% greater than a decade ago, but 6% fewer than the previous year and the sixth consecutive year-on-year decrease. Ms Meinhardt said she wanted the play to highlight the signs of grooming and help people understand the challenges young people have been faced its first tour in 2023, Justice in Motion has worked with more than 6,000 young people and its work has been viewed by more than 20,000 Ms Meinhardt hoped the group's shows will be watched by an extra 30,000 people in the next Smith, also known as Matic Mouth, is a rapper from Sheffield who is performing in the show. He said: "We need to help the children and support them rather than criminalise them and charge them with things they might not have much of information with first-hand anyway." Lauren, a teenager who is performing in the show, said: "It's a really important show to share.""It's opened my eyes. Throughout the show you get the story of Nicky who is this innocent kid."Her mum Becky said the performance was really "moving and emotional"."The child doesn't realise what they're getting involved with until it's too late."For younger children and parents it's about spotting the signs for grooming before the child gets sucked in too deep. "Kids who are involved in these situations, it's not because their parents love them less or because people aren't doing a good enough job as a parent."It's very intentional and scary how they get sucked in." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
