London’s Mayor Puts a Big Boost on Violence Prevention
Mayor Sadiq Khan just announced a whopping £14.5 million investment to widen the Violence Reduction Unit’s (VRU) flagship MyEnds programme. The goal? To bring a hands‑on, neighbourhood‑by‑neighbourhood approach to every corner of the capital.
What’s the Plan?
- MyEnds goes wider: The programme, which already runs in 8 neighbourhoods, will now expand into the remaining 21 boroughs.
- Community leaders on the frontline: Local youth bosses, grassroots groups, parents and carers will spear‑head positive activities—after‑school clubs, sports, arts, mentoring—right where the trouble starts.
- £6.7 million spread: City Hall will distribute the money so every borough can launch its own prevention initiatives.
Past Successes (and Why We’re Doing More)
Since April 2021, MyEnds has:
- Helped over 50,000 young people and community members
- Delivered 48,000 targeted interventions
- Hosted nearly 600 community events this year alone
- Granted small grants to almost 70 grassroots organisations
The data shows the community‑led push cuts down on risky behaviours, lifts mental health, and keeps kids in school.
Why the Mayor is So Fired Up
During his re‑election, Khan promised that the next generation of Londoners would be the focus of his third term. “We can’t just chase criminals with the police,” he said. “We have to tackle what’s really feeding the problem—poverty, lack of opportunity, and missed chances.”
With the new funding, the VRU will keep rolling out interventions for the 350,000+ people who have already benefited since 2019. The plan also includes family support, school‑based programmes, and youth clubs from the neighborhood to the police custody suites.
What’s Happening Now?
Mayor Khan and VRU Director Lib Peck visited a fresh MyEnds partnership in Brent, where they’re working on three estates. The focus: “Youth work off the house, school interventions, and parental support.” This is just the tip of the iceberg—London is about to ramp up its anti‑violence action, and everyone in the city has a seat at the table.
