Revival Stop the Killing Start the Healing

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What is Revival?

Revival is a programme of community initiatives created by the Metropolitan Black Police Association, in response to the rising incidents of gun and drug related crimes across London and other hotspot cities in the UK.  Revival was launched during Black History Month in October 2002.

The initiative aims to bring together communities, united in the struggle to reduce and eradicate drug and violent crimes in our communities.  Our objective is to facilitate the sharing of information and best practice regarding local community initiative.

Director and creator of Revival, Bevan Powell said, “Revival, provides additional tools to help empower our communities to address the growing use of guns and illegal drugs in our inner cities.  The police are tasked with keeping our communities safe, however, we all have a role to play in ensuring safer and healthier communities in our major cities”.

The initiative has 5 components:

Community Bus – In London a community bus will be used to support the initiative.  Members of the community will be invited onto the bus where can discuss issues around violent crime and drugs and the effects it is having especially amongst the young people.

Churches & Other Faith Group – Faith community would be encouraged to include violent crime and drug issues within sermons or lessons during the period of the campaign

Barbershop/Hairdressers Initiative – An information pack will be made available to barber shops in Trident areas and hot spot cities.  Barbers would be asked to discuss and pass on the information to customers

Revival Conference(s) – a one day youth event to discuss with young people the issues around gun violence and drugs in London.  This event is organised by the BPA youth forum (members are between the ages of 15 and 21)

Revival Music Festival – the event is used to promote safer communities by denouncing the use of guns and violence.  Music has no boundaries and it has been seen to be one of the easiest ways in which to reach everyone young and old.