Sadiq Khan has announced an additional £250,000 of funding to help community groups tackle London's knife crime epidemic.

The new funding brings the Mayor of London's total spending on beating the rising problem of knife crime to £7 million.

In October and November this year, six people died after being stabbed in west London and 21 were injured.

Community groups working with young people to prevent knife crime are being encouraged to apply for a share of the funding, which is being targeted at "priority" boroughs with high levels of knife crime.

However, the Mayor's office has not yet said which boroughs this will apply to.

Individual organisations can apply for up to £50,000 to pay for venue hire, leaflets or food to "galvanise attendance and encourage engagement" with young Londoners.

Organisations working with partners across multiple boroughs can apply for up to £100,000 in funding as part of the Sadiq Khan's Knife Crime Strategy, published in June.

A spokesman for the Mayor said that during consultations "young people raised how they want to be engaged with by people from their communities who they know and trust, and who have experienced some of the same issues and challenges around knife crime".

The additional funding comes a month after Sadiq Khan launched his "London Needs You Alive" anti-knife crime campaign.

Every school now has a nominated Safer Schools officer to work with their children, and services have been extended in London's major trauma hospitals and the London Gang Exit Service.

Projects bidding for the funding must demonstrate that they work with those already engaging in knife crime or support groups disproportionately affected by knife crime, "notably young black men and women".

Sadiq Khan launched his London Needs You Alive campaign last month

Services working with under 18s and supporting the parents and families of those affected by knife crime are also encouraged to apply.

Deputy Mayor for policing and crime, Sophie Linden, said: “Knife crime ruins lives and devastates communities - every death on our streets is an utter tragedy.

"We cannot solve this problem through police enforcement alone. We need to send a strong signal that carrying and using a knife is more likely to ruin your life than save it, and do more to educate young people around the dangers of these weapons.

"Young people are London’s future and we need them to know how much we value them and that they shouldn’t put their lives at risk by carrying a knife – London needs them alive."

Time Line

November stabbings

  1. Carer who attacked 90-year-old victim with knife and hammer jailed (November 1)

    A carer who "smashed the skull" of a 90-year-old woman with a hammer and stabbed her in the neck with a kitchen knife was jailed for 21 years at Blackfriars Crown Court. Pamela Batten was attacked in her Yiewsley home by her husband's former carer, 52-year-old Abosede Adeyinka, on April 27. The court heard how Adeyinka carried out the attack with the intention of stealing from Mrs Batten.

  2. Murder investigation into west Kensington stabbing (November 1)

    A murder investigation was launched after a 55-year-old man died from "multiple stab wounds" at his home in west Kensington. The victim, Julian Aubrey, 55, died at the scene after being attacked in his home on October 30.

  3. Harlesden bus stabbing (November 3)

    A 24-year-old man was hospitalised with stab wounds after a fight reportedly broke out on a bus in Harlesden at around 10.30pm. The victim was treated for non life -threatening injuries. No arrests have been made in connection with the attack.

  4. Southall teen on trial for fatal Walthamstow stabbing (November 6)

    A court heard how 17-year-old stabbing victim, Elijah Dornelly, was left with "intestines spilling out of his belly" after he was fatally attacked in Walthamstow on May 7. Ezra Abeka, of Caxton Road, Southall, is one of two teens who appeared on trial at the Old Bailey over the brutal attack.

  5. Delivery driver stabbed in Harlesden (November 5)

    A 30-year-old delivery driver was threatened at knifepoint and stabbed by thugs trying to steal his bike in Harlesden. The victim was reportedly approached by two males on a dark-coloured moped in Connaught Road at around 4.13pm. He was treated for non life-threatening injuries at the scene. No arrests have yet been made in connection with incident.

  6. Double stabbing near railway station (November 6)

    Two men in their 20s found with stab wounds near Feltham station were treated for non life-threatening injuries in hospital. No arrests have yet been made following the suspected double stabbing.

  7. Two more arrested over West Kensington stabbing (November 5)

    A 41-year-old and a 39-year-old man were arrested on November 3 and November 5 following the fatal stabbing of a 55-year-old man in his west Kensington home. Victim Julian Aubrey was found dead at his flat with "multiple stab wounds" in Shaftesbury Place, Warwick Road, on Monday (October 30).

  8. Two teenagers arrested over fatal 2014 Pimlico stabbing (November 8)

    Two 19-year-olds were arrested on November 8 in connection with a fatal attack on a 33-year-old in 2014. Victim, Luke Jackson died after he was stabbed in the heart at a residential address Pimlico Road, Westminster, on December 19, 2014. Both teens were released under investigation on November 16.

  9. Man jailed for stabbing unarmed men after pub argument (November 13)

    A 21-year-old man who attacked three pub-goers at Harrow-on-the-Hill station was jailed for 27 months at Harrow Crown Court. The court heard how a 21-year-old attacked a group of unarmed men with a knife after an argument at a pub. One of the men sustained serious injuries to the groin.

  10. Southall murder trial (November 13)

    A man admitted his part in horrific stabbing and consequent death of 28-year-old Gurinder Singh in Southall, at the Old Bailey. Singh was allegedly ambushed by a group of men and stabbed to death on July 31 last year. Palwinder Multani, 36, denied murdering Singh but pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of manslaughter. The court heard the defendant will give evidence at the trial of four people, which is due to start on March 19 2018.

  11. Trial of teen accused of knifing 17-year-old to death (November 15)

    18-year-old Ezra Abeka-Soares from Southall accused of knifing a 17-year-old to death in May 2017 said in court he swung a baton at the boy because of a "gut feeling" and that he believed he was armed.

  12. London Mayor launches anti-knife crime campaign (November 15)

    Sadiq Khan launched a campaign to tackle knife crime as crime involving knives has claimed the lives of 40 Londoners under the age of 25 this year.

  13. Oxford street stabbing (November 16)

    A man with mental health issues was wounded in a 'non-serious' knife incident outside Selfridges in Oxford Street. Police made no arrests and are seeking no other people in connection with the incident.

  14. Pupil stabbed outside college (November 17)

    A 16-year-old boy who stabbed outside his college in King's Cross sustained non life-threatening injuries.The incident near Westminster Kingsway College on Friday (November 17) resulted in pupils at the college being evacuated by police.

  15. Renewed appeal after violent stabbing (November 18)

    A renewed appeal for witnesses to a violent attack in Hayes was launched. A 32-year-old man was stabbed and sustained 'serious injuries' in Yeading Lane on October 25.

  16. Teenager stabbed by 'moped gang' in Northolt (November 18)

    A teenager allegedly attacked by a group of males who left the scene on mopeds was rushed to hospital in a critical condition. Emergency services were called to the stabbing in Newnham Close, Northolt, at around 10.30pm.

  17. Two men stabbed in Heston street fight (November 21)

    Two men were hospitalised with non life-threatening stab wounds after a street fight between up to 10 men reportedly broke out in Heston.

  18. Murder probe launched into Northolt stabbing (November 21)

    A murder probe was launched into the fatal stabbing of an 18-year in Northolt. The teenager died of his injuries in hospital after being attacked on November 18.

  19. Teenage Northolt stabbing victim named

    The victim of 'brutal' stabbing in Northolt was named locally as 18-year-old Jason Isaacs.

  20. Colliers Wood stabbing (November 22)

    A man in his 20s was hospitalised with stab wounds after being attacked in Colliers Wood. His injuries were non life-threatening

  21. Knife arches in Westminster this Christmas (November 23)

    It was announced knife arches will be in place in Westminster this Christmas as part of an “enhanced high-visibility” police operation aiming to keep Londoners safe.

  22. Northolt stabbing: Reward for information (November 24)

    A £20,000 reward was offered for information around the fatal stabbing of 18-year-old Jason Isaacs in Northolt

  23. Northolt stabbing victim's mother speaks out

    The mother of 18-year-old Jason Isaacs who was stabbed to death in Northolt made an emotional video appeal for information about her son's death.

  24. Police return to Northolt stabbing scene (November 26)

    Officers returned to the scene where an 18-year-old was fatally stabbed in Northolt a week after the attack to continue searching for evidence. 18-year-old Jason Isaacs died in hospital after he was stabbed on November 18.

  25. Two found guilty of fatal Southall stabbing (November 29)

    Soares-Abeka of Caxton Road, Southall and Morgan Mockford, 18,of Randolph Road, Walthamstow were found guilty of stabbing Elijah Dornelly to death in Southall on Wednesday (November 29).

getwestlondon has approached the Mayor's office to identify which London boroughs have been earmarked as a "priority" for tackling knife crime.

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