Stars support young people against gangs
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Chart-topping music artists and international football stars have lent their support to a video against gang culture - organised by a group of creative West Midlands youngsters.
The campaign, NO POSTCODES, is the brainchild of disadvantaged young people supported by Bromford Support [see Editor’s notes below]. The name comes from the fact that gang areas are traditionally defined by their postcode.
The campaign group, all aged 18 to 25, created a video featuring top music artists like Labrinth, DJ Fresh and Chase and Status.They are joined by Premiership footballers such as Aston Villa’s Emile Heskey and Darren Brent, Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matt Jarvis, West Brom’s Jerome Thomas and West Midlands Police Supt Mark Payne - a key figure in the recent riots.
Support worker Oren Duffus is full of praise for the project: “This is a fantastic, inspiring initiative which has been driven by the young people we work with. The idea and name for the campaign came from them and they have put so much energy into organising a campaign event and video for this important cause.
“Our job at Bromford Support is to enable their vision and help them with guidance. The young people involved had final say on every decision, whether that is creatively or submitting a proposition for funding to the Prince’s Trust. They were granted funding and hope to engage more with the Prince’s Trust over the coming year as they further their campaign and anti-gang message.”
The video of stars, and West Midlands Police, supporting NO POSTCODES can be viewed at but that is not all these motivated young people have planned.
This coming Thursday (27th October 2011), at Birmingham Central Library, the NO POSTCODES team will be hosting a music, dance and information event. The event will showcase the very best from these determined and enthusiastic young people as well as providing information on life options with stalls from organisations such as NHS and Pertemps.
Senior support worker Keith Holland said: “Gangs can destroy lives and tear communities apart. Some young people can feel there is no future for them and joining a gang can seem like a way to belong. The reality is that gangs can ruin or even end the lives of our young people, and the knock-on effect on their friends, families and communities can be devastating.
“These young people are testament to the good that can come out of the problems we see in communities around the country. They haven’t always had the easiest time of things but they are prepared to stand up and encourage other young people to be strong and see that there is an alternative to gangs.”
VIDEO ROLL CALL:
MUSIC STARS:
LABRINTH - No 1 solo artist and producer of Tinie Tempah
THE JOY FORMIDABLE - Ritzy - Foo Fighters support
DJ FRESH - No 1 solo artist
THE LIBERTINES - Gary Powell - multi platinum album selling
CHASE & STATUS - top 10 artists, remixers for Prodigy and Dizzeee Rascal and producers of No1 selling solo artist Example
TODDLA T - now on Radio 1
EMBRACE - Danny McNamara - No 1 artist and multi platinum selling
DELILAH - now on Radio 1 and about to have first major hit
KOBI ONYAME - star in waiting already guest appearing on artists tracks
DUBWISER – legendary dub/reggae band
PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALLERS:
ASTON VILLA FC & ENGLAND - Darren Brent
ASTON VILLA FC & ENGLAND - Emile Heskey
ASTON VILLA FC & ENGLAND - Gabriel Agbonlahor
ASTON VILLA FC & UNITED STATES - Bradley Guzan
ASTON VILLA FC & ENGLAND U21 - Fabian Delph
ASTON VILLA FC - Andy Marshall
WOLVERHAMPTON WANDERERS FC & ENGLAND - Matt Jarvis
WEST BROMWICH ALBION FC - Jerome Thomas
POLICE:
WEST MIDLANDS POLICE - Superintendent Mark Payne (Riots frontline)
WEST MIDLANDS POLICE - Billy Corrigan
WEST MIDLANDS POLICE - Samantha O’Hanlon
Music by F.E.A - a secret collective of star producers and music artists. The track featured, "Let's make it work," was written especially for this video.
OTHER PEOPLE IN THE VIDEO:
Engineer to the stars - 'Rampton'
The three lads on Birmingham New Street
The “Balloon Man”
“Flash Gordon” (collecting for RNIB)
The Two Robbers (They just liked to dress like that)
Emily (2 years old)
Dylan (5 years old)
The Paramedic on a motorbike outside Rackhams
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