STOURBRIDGE’S MP Suzanne Webb has outlined a goal to make Stourbridge a knife free zone following her second summit looking at tackling the issue.

The summit held at Old Swinford Hospital School, came after Suzanne and Stourbridge FC chairman Andy Pountney sent all schools in the constituency a joint letter inviting them to a roundtable discussion to talk about the impacts of knife crime and how people can work together to stamp it out.

Representatives from Pedmore High School, Ridgewood High School, OSH, Withymoor Primary School and King Edwards’s College all attended along with Mark Brindley from the James Brindley Foundation, Kay Starkey from Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, PC Andy Peters from West Midlands Police, Carl Collins of Team Pumpkin Boxing Gym and Dianna Boeteng of the Stourbridge Cinema project.

To make the constituency a knife free zone, the town’s MP suggested the next steps would be to involve schoolchildren and organise for those affected by knife crime to visit schools to share their personal experiences.

PC Peters encouraged schools to have anonymous boxes where children can put in intelligence about knives such as pupils, they know who carries them.

While the air ambulance said it could offer CPR training in schools.

Suzanne said: “It was a positive and practical meeting and there is great support for Stourbridge to become knife free, through education and initiatives to stop knife carrying and crime.

“It will take time and it won’t be easy but it is vitally important we take the first steps for the good of our young people. Working together with such committed heads, teachers, police officers and organisations we can do it. I am looking forward to developing a programme that will take this issue into our schools.”

Stuart Eaves, assistant principal of King Edward VI College, told how important it was for the college to be involved in discussions to try to tackle the problem and he added: “We are heartened and encouraged by the actionable steps identified during this meeting and are fully committed to supporting their implementation.

“Our goal is to address and mitigate the tragedy affecting young people in our area.”

Old Swinford Hospital school headmaster Paul Kilbride said: “OSH was delighted to join discussions on this very important local and national issue, and in particular the place that education has in dealing with it.”