Level three protective services students at Derby College have helped to organise a conference on knife crime for their peers.

Working closely with Derbyshire Police, the group has already helped organise similar events in local schools as part of Project Zao, a Derby-wide initiative to raise awareness in young people of the dangers of carrying knives.

During the conference hosted at the college’s Roundhouse campus, the students organised workshop activities for delegates, and heard from guest speakers who shared their own experiences of knife crime.

“The students have done a brilliant job helping to run this and other Project Zao events and I hope they have helped to inspire fellow students to spread these important messages back in their own curriculum areas,” said Chris Allwright, a personal coach team manager at Derby College.

“We have a strong working relationship with Derbyshire Police to open up communications and highlight careers available to our students.”

Sergeant Alison Adams, a member of Derbyshire police’s community safety and vulnerability unit added: “Our overriding message at these events is celebrate life and drop the knife.”