Published: Thursday, 2nd October, 2008 07:00
Knife crime film sets out facts in Real Time
By Rose Harland
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Anti knife crime filmmakers L to R Leigh Edcombe, Ruth Cunningham amd Adam Arnold, Thomas Palmer
Pic by: Leigh Quinell
YOUNG people whose two friends were stabbed to death have made a film to warn teenagers not to carry knives.
The DVD is dedicated to Steven Bayliss and Nuttawut “T-Wood” Nadauld, who were 16 and 14 when they were murdered in September 2005 in woods near Barkham by acquaintance Thomas Palmer, 18, a cannabis user obsessed with violent films.
A group of around 10 of their friends have worked with Reading film-making charity Real Time, Thames Valley Police and Crimestoppers to produce the DVD, which they hope will be shown in schools and youth clubs.
Filmmaker Ruth Cunningham, 19, said: “We had experienced the effects of knife crime first hand. We were able to see the damage it does. The family, friends, everyone – the whole community. Everyone was affected by it.”
The group held a tribute gig to raise money for a bench and a memorial plaque and also worked with the police on a knife amnesty.
Ruth said: “We started seeing some really horrendous weapons, knuckle dusters and all sorts. We thought what’s going on, why do people have things like this?
“We spoke to people in the council and schools and at first lots of schools said ‘there’s not a problem’, then we started talking to the pupils to see if they knew people who were carrying knives and lots of them said ‘yes’. We fed that back to the school and said there clearly is a problem and started thinking how can we get the message not to carry knives out there.
“Many people carry knives because they think it’s going to protect them, but quite often it can be turned on you.” The DVD was filmed in Reading locations– including outside the Rising Sun Arts Centre in Silver Street, Katesgrove and in Wokingham. It is aimed at 11-16 year-olds.
Ruth said: “We found that the period when young people often dabble with petty crime is during the change from primary school to secondary school. Lots of 11 year-olds don’t know that you can get four years for having a knife with you.”
Around 30 people have been involved in making the DVD, which was funded by a £6,930 grant from the Berkshire Community Foundation in May last year. Officers from Thames Valley Police took part in the film and allowed filming in riot vans and Reading Police Station.
Crime reduction officer John McNicholas said: “We wanted to do something local that brings it home to the youngsters in Reading that knife crime doesn’t just impact on the victim, it impacts on the whole community.”
Clive Robertson, director of Real Time, based in South Street said about the young film makers: “I think it says an awful lot about these young people that they’ve showed such commitment.”
An enormous amount of work went into researching it and scripting it. It takes such a lot of work to keep the momentum up to finish it.”
Ruth, who is now a youth worker in Wokingham, said: “It feels fantastic to have finished it. I feel really proud of all the effort that’s gone in. Out of all the people who see it, there’s got to be at least one person whose going to stop carrying a knife. If even one person decides that, the whole two year’s work will be worth it.”
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