Members of a youth group working with the council to fight knife crime were invited to Downing Street this week.

Teens from Waltham Forest’s Youth Independent Advisors Group were invited to join the government’s newly formed Serious Violence youth group earlier this week.

The event was organised to celebrate the positive actions of and for young people in the fight against youth violence.

Jamal Edwards, founder of SBTV, one of the country’s leading youth broadcasters that sends out music videos and other online content for young adults, was also at the meeting.

Faron Alex Paul, who started his own knife amnesty, was also there along with musician Rapman, trauma surgeon Martin Griffiths (who is also the clinical director for violence reduction for the NHS nationally) and GMTV weatherman Alex Beresford.

Kamahl Sami-Miller, one of Waltham Forest’s YIAG members, said: “It was a good experience to have and share with everyone there, because we are all there for the same reason – to make a change.”

The YIAG works alongside young advisors and Waltham Forest Council.

One of their most prominent activities is known as Streetbase, where young adults from the group go out on patrol across the borough talking to their peers, signposting services and chatting to young people about the dangers of knife crime.

The groups work is supported by the council.