KPF is currently building an army of passionate, positve, inspirational people with enough patience to mentor train, teach and inspire the young people KPF come in contact with.
If you think you have what it takes to get involved please get in touch with Ellen Bryant on prince@kiyan.org or 07786788301
Go and check out the interview with KPF on pages 32 and 33 of this September’s issue of Lime Magazine!
Click on the image below to see the online version of the issue:
Many thanks to Sophia Jackson and Natasha Julien for their hard work at putting this together x
On Wednesday 17th August 2011 Leroy Travis James aged 14yrs was taken from this world in tragic circumstances. He is sadly missed by family, friends and all who knew him. His loss has had such a profound effect that words cannot begin to express…
I would appreciate it if you would take time out to read this piece.
I am writing for Leroy James and all of the young people who have been incorrectly labeled and disenfranchised by society. I am writing as a mum who like other mums worry every time her sons go out of the door.
I commend the fathers, like Mr James Senior who love, nurture and support their children. I know there are many of you out there. Its so important…Please read.
I returned to the house with the intention of doing some work having spent an afternoon with a friend. I had just settled down at the computer when the telephone rang; it was my eldest son telling me that one of the boys had been hurt. Waves of panic gathered up and rose from my stomach to the back of my throat. I could feel the start of a scream slowly escaping. My son sensed this and sharply told me “be calm mum, listen”. He quickly followed, “it’s not the boys mum, its Leroy; he’s been stabbed”….. He said “mum we think he’s dead, all the kids are panicking” “can you go and get them?” “Please mum, can you go and find them now”.
I dropped the phone; realising that I needed to be calm for the kids I made a mental note to hold onto my composure. I threw on my coat and ran out to look for them.
I found the kids across the green at my friend’s house. There they sat in the front room. Pain, worry and Panic in their faces; waiting for an adult, wanting to hear a voice of reason, not knowing what to do.
They told me that Leroy had been stabbed in the park and one of the other boys had been arrested. I will not relate all of the events out of respect to the family. There will be an investigation pending that I would do not wish to prejudice.
Subsequently when we received the call that Leroy had passed away….The boys wept…..
Back at the house they were in disbelief, talking and crying intermittently until late into the night. I listened to these young men not interupting. They talked about Leroy, they talked about his father, Mr James Senior and how he cared for his son. They talked about their own fathers who were absent and didn’t support them. They said that if anything happened to them there would be no dad to cry over them.
These were intelligent courageous eloquent young people who were just trying to get on with their lives. They have a right to expect a future. They have a right to live. They were not the hooded gang bangers as reported in the press.
I could feel the enormity and depth of their pain. The constant negative stereotyping had affected their well being. Deeply saddened and all too aware of the prejudiced accusatory perceptions that labelled them all as ignorant illiterate trouble makers. This is just not true, but how do we overcome this.
This was the boy like all the other boys who rode his bike across the green. This was the boy who played football with my sons.This was the boy who had stood in the kitchen that very Monday eating stir fry with my boys. This was the boy…….
Later as I sat in the kitchen, I cried.
I cried for Leroy Travis James, a boy from around the way just like one of my children. I cried for my sons and all of the young people who were just trying to be. I cried for the hurt caused by neglect from absent fathers. I cried because many young people, particularly boys feel that they are no one because their dads do not notice them. I cried for their safety and their right to have life, to have a future. I cried for a whole generation of young black boys who have been demonised by the press and wider society. I cried because I am a mum who has tried to teach her boys to be men.
But most of all I cried for Mr James senior who, at that late hour, still stood at the park gates, crying, waiting for his son to come home………
(Patricia McCleod)
The Kiyan Prince Foundation want to be a support in any way they can to help families who are affected by this terrible crime hence a memorial page in loving memory of Leroy, to help raise money for the family.
We often forget how these terrible tragedies create financial problems for those mourning and many well wishers express their condolences, wanting to help in some way, not understanding how invaluable practical help can be.
Please support Leroy James’ family in their grief by helping to ease the financial burden of burying their son.
Thank you all for giving, God bless you and let us never waiver in our commitment to put young people first by living a life that’s an example to them all.
Please help us by texting “KPFF11 £5″ to 70070 and donate just £5 to support Leroy Jame’s family.
Alternatively you can make a payment directly into our bank account:
Sort code: 20-20-65
Account number: 03157512
Account name: The Kiyan Prince Foundation
Bank: Barclays
Please use your initial, surname and mention Leroy James Donation as reference so we can acknowledge receipt of your contribution.
God bless you all
Mark Prince
The Kiyan Prince Foundation will be working with the London Mayor’s new mentoring programme: The Capital Men Mentoring Programme.
The vision is for us to deliver a preventative mentoring programme for 1000 black boys aged 10 – 16 over the next few years, to train and recruit 1000 mentors (mainly male) to act as role models helping to raise aspirations and prevent social exclusion.
Mentors will work with the boys for 12 months in the seven boroughs most affected by gangs, gun and knife crime (i.e. Brent, Croydon, Haringey, Hackney, Southwark, Lambeth and Waltham Forest).
The Kiyan Prince Foundation has been officially accepted to take responsibility of Haringey borough.
Please click on the link below to find out more information:
If you are interested in volunteering please can you email prince@kiyan.org with your contact details and a brief description about yourself, so your suitability can be considered for the next stage of vetting – before 8th September 2011.
The KPF will be joining forces with Syrus Consultancy and will be delivering a series of motivational talks across schools, colleges, young offenders institutions, secure units and prisons across September.
Each venue visited will take in a captivating theatrical musical performance that de-glamorises crime and prison in a powerful, honest and thought provoking way coupled with a motivational talk and question and answer session.
The tour is being led by ex-offender, author, spoken word artist and motivational speaker Chris Syrus and will be supported by producer/guitarist David Wehinm and internationally recognised singer Randy Valentine with motivational speeches from KPF’s Mark Prince.
Big props to the designer Keisha Ferrell at advertising company Primesight for all her creativity and hardwork putting the posters together.
KPF has been invited down this year to the One Love Peace Festival on 31 July 2011 at Wembley Arena. The KPF will be taking to the stage for a short time to help spread the positive anti-knife message that they bring and muster up support for more people to get involved with the work that they are carrying out by empowering the youth of today.
The line up to the event looks excellent with performances from Kymani Marley, Busta Rhymes, Levi Roots, Sean Paul, Gyptian and much more. If you would like to find out more details about the event or buy tickets just click here
When he is not out in a helicopter or in the A&E saving lives: HEMS doctor and KPF’s senior advisory board member Major Thomas Konig enjoys a spot of running. This is no jog around Hyde Park however, he will be taking part in the Jordan Ultra Marathon on 3 September 2011 which involves running 360 km over 6 days starting in Wadi Rum and covering Jordan’s historic sites and deserts before finishing in the ancient city of Petra. Please support Tom and others that are undertaking this intense challenge by clicking here
To see Tom in action on Channel 4′s “24 Hours in A&E” program that aired on 22 June 2011 pleaseCLICK HERE
On Thursday 19 May, we commerated the 5th Anniversary of Kiyan at the London office of the law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, one of our key supporters.
Here is a selection of some excellent pictures from the 19 May event.
Thursday 19th May 2011 marks the 5th anniversay of Kiyan Prince’s death. In order to commemorate this occasion, we are hosting an event at the London office of the law firm Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP, one of our key supporters.
The evening will include a presentation from Kiyan’s father Mark Prince and Orrick partner Mark Fennessey. Mark Prince will speak about Kiyan and the programmes he has been developing to tackle the problem of knife crime.
Other invited speakers include Tom Konig, a trauma surgeon with HEMS (London’s air ambulance service), award winning poet ‘slam’ champion Kat Francois who will be performing spoken word and the Christ Faith Tabernacle Youth Choir who will entertain guests with an acapella harmony.
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
This is our latest video:
Mark Prince - Sponsor SkydiveFlickr
-
-
-
Check out our Flickr