Two weeks ago, Charlton Athletic announced a pioneering new initiative to tackle street violence in classrooms and on the estates of Greenwich, Bexley and Kent.

A partnership of more than a dozen organisations, including the local authorities, the police and the government, has been discussing the project for the past two months.

The Street Violence Ruins Lives campaign will be launched on Saturday, as the Sky Sports cameras visit The Valley for the Championship fixture with Reading.

And there was a high-profile boost for the groundbreaking project on Monday when, ahead of the national team's friendly against the Czech Republic in midweek, England coach Fabio Capello and several of his players posed with a banner carrying a similar anti-street weapon message

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"Here at Charlton we have devised a sustainable programme to educate youngsters about the dangers of street weapons," explained Charlton Community Trust acting chief executive Jason Morgan.

"The project was instigated by the trust and the football club, but we have already been overwhelmed by the support and backing we have received from a number of organisations from both the public and the private sector in the past month or so. It's clear there is a real desire out there to tackle this current problem in society posed by knives and guns."

The first club to hold an annual event devoted to tackling racism following the club's return to The Valley in 1992, Charlton were also the first club to pilot a project warning youngsters of the dangers of playing near and vandalising railway lines.

A decade and more later, the two initiatives have been taken up nationwide, and Morgan hopes that will also be the case with Charlton's latest campaign.

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Dianne Maylam  - violence ruins lives   |2008-08-22 Please get through to our youth community that a ticket to Australia can be earnt in one month's wages, stacking shelves in a supermarket and a wonderful place to go to celebrate the end of a school life. But not if you have a criminal record, they won't let you enter - ever !!!! Nor America or New Zealand. You will not see the world even if you are a future, rich entrepreneur. They will not grant visas to those with a record of violence or drugs. This angle will surely get through to those who have not really understood the consequences of their actions. Good luck with the campaign. Violent crime stays with you for life. Reply | Quote

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