A coalition of churches and Christian groups have banded together in an effort to protect young people from violence, in particular knife crime, during the summer months.
The Synergy Network has called upon churches all over Britain to hold events on “Standing Together Saturday and Sunday”, taking place on 19 and 20 July, which marks the end of the school year.
The network said that the summer holidays often see a rise in knife violence among young people, and asked churches to keep their doors open during the summer to provide a safe place for young people.
Bishop Lenford Rowe, Chair of the Synergy Network, said, “This is the third year in a row that we have been running our Standing Together events, and we are still encouraging churches to both pray and take action on VAYP [Violence Against Young People].
“We want to use the summer break to not only draw attention to the fact that this is often not a safe time for our young people, but also that Christian congregations can do something tangible to keep them safe."
The bishop added that many young people could benefit greatly from the “wisdom and guidance” provided by church volunteers and that churches can be safe spaces for young people to relax.
The Synergy Network has produced a number of resources which it believes will help churches to pray about the issue and take concrete actions.
At St Mark’s Church in Kennington the Network will be running a number of activities on 19 and 20 July, including testimonies from those previously involved in violence, workshops and poetry and drama activities.
Bishop Rowe said, “Although we want churches to engage with our Standing Together Weekend on the 19 and 20 July 2025, they need to be cognizant that this work must continue throughout the year if we are to see any transformation in this tragic situation.
"We cannot sit on our hands and hope for the best. If we truly care about our young people, we need to get involved and be the change that we want to see.”
