80 students from 10 Merseyside schools attended the event, all participating in the Onside + co-hort. The students had been working for the last 12 weeks on projects that empower groups to make an impact and facilitate positive changes throughout our communities.

The Onside + Programme helps address the issues around youth and gang crime supporting secondary schools throughout the Liverpool City Region. This highly targeted programme provides students with key skills, confidence and the resilience needed to overcome obstacles and choose the right pathways in life. Funded by Project Medusa and Merseyside Police, the programme has been successful over the last three years, with continual support from Merseyside Police Safer School Officers.

The Merseyside Firearms Unit spoke about ‘Operation Prospect’ – an early intervention and education around knife and gun crime. The firearms unit spoke to the children about the dangers of possessing weapons and the serious ramifications that come with possession.

They gave a fascinating and engaging presentation, using videos, roleplay, and demonstrations, along with bringing along weapons used while on duty.

The presentation highlighted the serious and life-long consequences of carrying a weapon and the devastating ripple effect it can have on individuals, families and the communities they live in.

Andrew Brabin, Inspector says:

‘We are here today to present Operation Prospect, our anti-knife, anti-gun crime initiative aimed at young people across Merseyside and how they can make good choices to make Merseyside a safer place. The unique selling point to this is that, it is the armed officers who are sent to an incident interacting with the young people. What's been great about working with the LFC Foundation is you already have the hook in with the young children with the club and we have been able to piggy-back off of that to give us access to more children and allow us to focus in on them, and make them understand the consequences of gun and knife crime and help them make good choices.’