Life in Salford 25 • June 2019 18
Parkour power aims to keep young people safe
A high-flying new sport is being used in Salford in a bid to turn young people away from knife crime and anti-social behaviour.
ForHousing has teamed up with Salford Community Leisure and other partners to hold Parkour sessions, also known as free running, to encourage young people to stay off the streets and out of trouble. The #knifefree initiative is being supported by £17,700 of funding from the Home Office anti-knife crime community fund and has been working with around 200 young people aged eight to 16 across Salford. The sessions, which are run with the help of volunteers, are free and available to all young people living in Salford. The project is now launching its second phase which will see workshops run by ex-offenders, prison officers and victims of knife crime to bring home the realities of this type of violence.
One young person who has been enjoying the sessions said:
“When you’re here you get to physically do stuff instead of playing out with your mates, probably trying to cause trouble with them, so it’s a good environment to be in.”
Another added: “If this wasn’t happening, I’d probably be roaming the streets or on my phone in my bedroom.”
