@SpursOfficial
Saturday, August 17, 2024, 3:00 p. m. |Tottenham Hotspur
Yesterday (Friday 16th August) our Foundation hosted an annual tournament in memory of Godwin Lawson, keeping alive the memory of a promising young footballer who tragically lost his life to a knife crime in 2010.
The event at Aylward Academy in Enfield brought together around 160 children and adolescent women from the local realm and beyond, offering a vital opportunity to educate about the consequences of knife crime.
Our Foundation has been working with the Godwin Lawson Foundation – created through Godwin’s mother, Yvonne, to commemorate her son’s life and spread messages opposing knife crime – for more than thirteen years.
Yvonne said: “We have engaged 5,000 young people since our launch and our partnership with the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation has played an important role in this.
“It’s been amazing to be able to use Godwin’s memory and his passion, football, to get so many young people back to playing, expanding their teamwork skills and having fun. “
Andreas, 14, a player on our Foundation’s Premier League Kicks programme, said: “Instead of staying at home to play, I play football here with my friends and I know other teams. Yvonne’s speech encouraged me to think not only about football, but also about life outside of football.
Another participant, 12-year-old Taliah, said: “Yvonne’s speech meant a lot to me. Knife crimes can end people’s lives, so it’s a major problem. I think paintings reminiscent of Godwin Lawson are important. I feel grateful and satisfied to be here.
The tournament meant a lot to many in the local community, and some seemed to take a day off to volunteer.
Zoe Ireo said: “It’s a topic I’m passionate about and it’s been encouraging to see other organizations like the Met Police and Kick It Out coming together to help run interesting workshops between football matches. ”
Members of the Youth Action Group working alongside the London Violence Reduction Unit, which funds the Youth Foundation’s Tottenham Futures life skills and progression programme, were also among the engaged participants.
Clara said: “To be concerned on occasions like this and to see all the young people concerned is really positive, especially knowing how much violence can build up in the summer. Financing projects like this can have a very positive and favorable effect. in those young people and allow them to create memories that will last forever, in a positive way.
Haringey Deputy Lieutenant Captain Peter Baker, who was also present, added: “I am privileged to be involved in an event today which attempts to address the very difficult scenario of other young people being tempted to use knives and the consequences of those decisions. ” which can the rest of their lives in a very negative way. »