The co-founders of MAMAA have worked extensively with families of murder victims for over 15 years, having supported in excess of 600 families through trials, appeals, parole board hearings and generally giving them advice, help and support. MAMAA also work with their FLO’s to ensure they get the best possible service in the immediate aftermath of murder and beyond. Unlike the police and Victim Support, MAMAA do not have an exit strategy and work with families for many years after a murder has affected a family.
MAMAA are members of the Home Secretary's advisory panel on guns, gangs and knives and of the Assoc of Chief Police Officers National Independent Advisory Group dealing with the criminal use of firearms. We have worked with the head of the murder review squad in Scotland Yard on training the police FLO's in dealing with bereaved families, are members of the advisory panel that campaigned for 14 years for victims families to be able to make an impact statement in court. We have given presentations to the police, the Child bereavement Trust, The Youth Justice Conference in Bournemouth in November 2007, and in May 2008 were invited to a meeting with the new Deputy Mayor of London, to discuss how to deal with youth crime. These meetings will be an ongoing project. MAMAA were responsible for instigating the last national gun amnesty which was the most successful amnesty in the UK. Dee Edwards and Lyn Costello were given a Local Heroes Award by the Home Office in recognition of their work against gun crime. they also received a Children's Champion award from the national Anti Bullying Campaign 'Kidscape'
For many years MAMAA have been working with young people and have trained with Be Safe to deliver weapons awareness programmes in schools. All sessions are carried out by people who are qualified and licensed through the project which is recognised by the Home Office.
Be Safe is a Home Office approved initiative run by ex police officers with many years experience. They also work in partnership with ACPO, The Royal Armouries, The Metropolitan Police's ‘Operation Blunt,’ The Football Foundation (run as part of the FA), British Services Schools (for children of servicemen serving in the forces overseas) The Princes Trust and MAMAA.
Be Safe…delivers a talk that allows the young person to question ‘why they carry a knife’…the short and long term repercussions of carrying them. The cycle of revenge and reprisal attacks, the drastic effects on families as a result of serious injury or worse, a persons death. These realities are explained in an understandable way along with the medical implications of when someone is stabbed! Following this in-depth education…they are given choice, informed choices to make them think about the consequences.
The delivery of the harsh realities, of what can happen when carrying a knife, or other bladed weapon has resulted in very positive feedback from both the pupils and staff at schools
The Be Safe programme is not intended to be an ‘instead of’ programme, rather it is to be in addition to what schools already have in place. In the current climate none of us can be complacent about the amount of young people carrying a knife and it is dangerous to believe that problems only exist in cities and large towns. The media are so hyped up about teenagers killing each other that they make people believe that it is dangerous to go out anywhere, the knock on effect is that more people carry knives because they believe they need to protect themselves. We have children in some schools who tell us that their parent bought them a knife and insisted that they carry it for protection.
EVALUATION
Following an evaluation by Newham Youth Offending Team of 1000 young offenders who revealed they were habitual knife carriers…then attended the Be Safe Workshop. Of those, only 8.5% re-offended and only 1.75% were found in possession of a knife.
During the School sessions a large number of school-children admitted to carrying knives for ’so called’ self-defence! Government research indicates that more than 30% of youngsters Nationwide carry knives!
The programme was originally designed to deal with offenders only, but it soon became apparent that if many of these young people had been provided with the information about the consequences of carrying a ‘Knife’ then they would never have entered the Criminal Justice System. The project is now part of preventative, restorative justice and reparation measures provided in Schools, Youth Groups and Associated Organisations.
We are a charity and can only continue if we receive donations. You can help. Please send whatever you can afford.....Every penny helps. Donations can be made online by clicking on the icon below.
To make a telephone donation please call: 0905 4360132
This call will cost £1.30 per minute. £1.00 of which will be paid to MAMAA. Calls should last no longer than one minute. You can also donate direct from your bank to:
MAMAA HSBC
Sort code: 40-46-20
Account No: 31283553
MAMAA is a national registered charity which supports and campaigns on behalf of families and friends of murder victims. Each year there is an average of 800 murders across the UK which ultimately affects many more than just the immediate families.
Nobody can take away the pain that you will be suffering but we aim to not only help you through the process of the court system and trial but to provide a link to other agencies and support groups and to help in whatever way we can for as long as you need that help.
We believe that support systems should be put in place as soon as possible after a murder and the best possible care should be given to bereaved families suffering the devastation that has been caused to them. However, because of the sheer volume of families that we are already dealing with it has become impossible to deal with each family on a one to one basis.
Contact:
Lyn Costello Co-founder of MAMAA
07960 994862
Dee Edwards Co-founder of MAMAA
07973 166970
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