How we can help kids beat the knife scourge
HE’S been captain of England, won the Rugby World Cup and has both an MBE and an OBE.
But Lawrence Dallaglio now gets the same sense of pride and satisfaction at helping some of the most disadvantaged children in the country.
The rugby union legend works with youngsters who have been kicked out of school – and is now determined to tackle the scourge of knife crime.
As the 46-year-old wins a prestigious Lifetime Achievement award at the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Sport, Dallaglio says it’s been “humbling” to help so many troubled teenagers.
And he added seeing one of them become a rugby coach just last week was as rewarding to him as Jonny Wilkinson’s winning drop-goal in the World Cup Final in 2003.
He said: “I was so proud to captain England and to win the World Cup, but I genuinely feel the same pride over the work we do. Going to meet and help some of the most troubled youngsters in our cities is just so humbling.
“We’ve managed to help over 1,000 teenagers since we started. What has truly made me proud, though, is last week we have actually employed one of the students as a coach.”
Dallaglio was given his award at the Daily Mirror’s Pride of Sport, in partnership with TSB, during Thursday’s glittering event to celebrate the unsung heroes of grassroots sport and elite performers who inspire them.
He was presented with the honour at a ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House by former players Mike Tindall, Kenny Logan, Martin Johnson and Jason Leonard.
The audience of stars included equestrian Zara Tindall, swimmer Rebecca Adlington, footballers such Lawrence with Mike Tindall at awards WINNER With award this week as Jamie Vardy, and Strictly stars Graeme Swann, and Katya and Neil Jones.
But while Dallaglio is proud of the successes with the children, he also knows a lot more has to be done to combat the horrific explosion of knife crime. Earlier this week the Mirror revealed shocking pictures of a schoolboy posing with a 10in blade outside a school in Bristol.
It comes after 72 fatal stabbings in London alone and 40,417 knife offences recorded in the year to March. Last month Jai Sewell, 15, became one of the youngest killed when he was attacked outside a chicken shop in Tulse Hill, London.
Dallaglio believes the killings can be stopped with the right support.
The Dallaglio RugbyWorks organisation aims to get teenagers outside of mainstream education into sustained education, employment or training. His fundraising cycle rides take place every two years.
By the end of this year, they will have helped 1,000 of 4,000 permanently expelled 14 to 17-year-olds.
He told the Mirror:
“The work we do with the young people on our
TRAGIC Jai Sewell programme can be transformational. I remember one lad who was excluded for taking a knife into school.
“But we have worked hard with him over three years to see him turn himself around from a very angry young man… to a diligent student succeeding in his college course.”
He added: “Typically, our students come from areas with high levels of
With 2003 World Cup social deprivation. At one Pupil Referral Unit in Tower Hamlets [East London], for example, 45% of our young people live in poverty…
“All of the young people on our programme have been excluded from mainstream education for a wide variety of reasons, ranging from aggressive behaviour to simply not attending school at all.
“Crime and gang involvement is a major risk in the communities we work in… 63% of the prison population were excluded from school at some stage in their lives.
“Some say it’s about giving them a second chance – but with our young people, it’s often their first chance.”