PCC welcomes £599k boost to prevent and reduce serious violence in Cambridgeshire

Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston has secured an additional £599k of Home Office funding to support ongoing action to prevent and reduce serious violence.

The Serious Violence Reduction Programme funding supports the delivery of the Serious Violence Duty which enables prevention partners to build on the strong progress already made across the county to tackle the root causes of violent behaviour before it escalates and causes serious harm.

The Duty, which came into effect in 2023, requires key agencies to work together to proactively prevent and reduce serious violence rather than react to the consequences.

Funding is already being invested into a variety of early intervention and prevention activity – ranging from targeted sports and youth diversionary programmes through to mentoring schemes and targeted youth work in areas identified as having a higher prevalence of violence and problematic behaviour.

The additional funding announced today comes after a high-profile visit of the national Knife Angel monument to Ely Cathedral in May, hosted by Soham Town Rangers FC, which provided a powerful new focus for preventative work across the county and amplified discussions around knife crime.

In 2025/26 alone, more than 4,000 young people and almost 350 adults were reached through 20 early intervention projects funded through the Duty, while 650 professionals received training.

Darryl said: “This funding is a major boost for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and will help us to sustain the excellent programmes already underway to change the narrative and stop some young people believing violence is a solution for their problems.

“We have come a long way since the Serious Violence Duty came into effect, responding as a united force to the complex causes of violence, challenging risk-taking behaviour at the onset and increasing positive pathways away from offending.

“Our innovative approach has been recognised by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS) who praised the use of empty courtrooms to help people comprehend the serious consequences of carrying knives."

The latest funding boost will help the Commissioner to build on the strong partnership approach in place and deliver another year of evidence-backed activity to prevent involvement in serious violence. This includes:

• Youth diversionary activities delivered ‘after-school’ in each Community Safety Partnership (CSP) area to divert young people from problematic, anti-social or criminal behaviour. These activities – set to include sports programmes, art projects and court experience days – are designed to provide an opportunity for young people to engage in positive, supervised activities with trusted adults in their communities.
• Detached youth work delivered by specialist youth workers engaging with young people in the spaces they choose to meet, supported by Cambridgeshire County Council, Romsey Mill and Peterborough City Council.
• Pledge United and Empowerment Project supported by Cambridgeshire City Council, Cambridge United Foundation and Cambridge Rape Crisis providing the opportunity for young boys and girls to engage in distinct single-sex projects that help to raise awareness of normalised sexual harassment, misogyny and how to challenge unacceptable behaviours. The projects aim to create safer communities and educate young people on how to challenge problematic behaviour before it escalates into real-world violence.
• Targeted Firebreak is an intensive five-day course run by Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service combining practical activities, group work and targeted workshops focused on risk awareness, decision-making, teamwork and resilience. The programme aims to improve communication skills, emotional regulation and raise awareness of consequences while supporting young people to make safer and more informed choices.

Note to editors

• The visit of the Knife Angel to Ely Cathedral in May this year has provided a platform to stimulate public conversations around knife crime and serious violence.
• Soham Town Rangers FC became the first grassroots football club in the UK to host the national monument – a 27ft tall sculpture made from over 100,000 knives and blades confiscated by UK police forces or surrendered during knife amnesty campaigns.
• Over four weeks, the Knife Angel attracted tens of thousands of visitors, with more than 300 children across the county attending organised school visits to discuss the dangers of knife crime while over 1,200 young people and adults were trained by the East Anglian Air Ambulance Service in how to deliver emergency CPR.
• The visit coincided with the Operation Sceptre week of action which saw more than 50 knives, including a sword and an axe, handed into officers in Ely alone. 
• Areas that host the Knife Angel are also required to make a pledge as part of their legacy. Soham Town Rangers FC in collaboration with East Anglian Air Ambulance pledged to offer all year 5/6 children in Cambridgeshire the opportunity to receive free CPR and defibrillator training – something that will inevitably save lives.