Teenagers are set to be confronted with the dangers of carrying a knife at a hard-hitting event in Oxford.

Next week, more than 100 people will attend the Knife or Life conference at Oxford United's Kassam Stadium.

The conference has been organised by 25 young people from Blackbird Leys, using £13,000 from Thames Valley Police and Oxford Safer Communities Partnership.

Each of the 11 to 25-year-olds behind the project has been asked to examine the impact carrying a knife could have on them, their families and the community.

They will present a series of lectures, films and musical pieces in a bid to deter the 80 young people attending from a life of crime.

A representative from Manchester-based anti-gang movement Mothers Against Violence will also attend the conference to explain ways in which people can prevent their neighbourhood descending into a crime-ridden estate like ones in her city, London or Birmingham.

Marsha Jackson, project development manager for Leys Community Development Initiative, which is helping to organise the event, said: “Informing and educating young people about knife crime gives them choices.

“Young people are concerned because what they see in the news is young people killing young people. There is not a major problem in Blackbird Leys, but prevention is better than cure.”

School pupils and children not in education or employment will be joined by parents and representatives from the police and other agencies at the conference.

They will watch a music video by Swiftly Movers — a group of 11 to 14-year-olds from the estate — which will address the Knife or Life question using positive lyrics, before discuss their reaction to the issues raised.

A panel including representatives from the police, MAV, and a young person from Leys CDI will take questions from the audience at the end of the conference.

Leys CDI project worker Rory Campbell said the MAV visit would be key, and added: “Crime here, especially violent crime, is not as bad as London or Birmingham or Manchester. We are trying to bring people from those kind of areas to Oxford, to stop our area going the same way.”

Last year, Leys CDI worked with young people to put on a similar conference about guns, gangs and knives at the Church Mission Society building.

The event was so successful it was decided to make this year’s event a larger affair.

  • Myett Langston has seen at first hand the damage that following the wrong path can do.

At the age of 15 he neglected his studies to hang around with friends who later fell into a life of crime.

Mr Langston, 22, said he was persuaded not to go down the same route by a strong talking to from his family, the promise of a job and by channelling his energy into music.

The painter and decorator, from Blackbird Leys, said he became involved in organising the Knife or Life conference because he wanted to show young people there were choices open to them.

In the past he has also created several hip-hop tracks under the name Sonorous, which focus on positivity rather than glorifying violence.

Mr Langston said: “I can see Blackbird Leys going down the road of Birmingham, London or Manchester. As I see it, it will get worse unless we can put a stop to it right now.”

He said he knew people were carrying knives on the estate as fashion statements, but stressed this was not happening in great numbers.

He added: “Young people need outlets, aims and aspirations.

“It all starts off with education. It means life or death to some of these kids. I believe they will put their knives down after this conference.”