A community football pitch is set to be re-developed as part of Arsenal FC’s anti-knife crime campaign.

Work to improve the pitch in King Square Estate, Islington, is scheduled to begin later this month as part of Adidas and Arsenal’s ‘No More Red’ campaign.

The campaign is backed by Islington Council and aims to create and refurbish safe spaces to play football, in line with the council’s commitment to tackle knife crime and youth violence in the borough.

Met police data shows that there were 411 knife crime offences recorded in Islington between January and December 2022. This included the stabbing of 16-year-old Jamaly Samba Baibu in Seward Street on December 20.

The campaign was launched in January last year, and has since helped to refurbish the football pitch in Harvist Estate. The transformed pitch was formally opened on February 12, 2022.

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This year Arsenal have vowed to expand the campaign, encouraging members of the public to volunteer for one of their charity partners.

These are:

  • Arsenal in the Community
  • The Stephen Lawrence Day Foundation
  • Steel Warriors
  • Don’t Stab Your Future
  • Box Up Crime
  • Copenhagen Youth Project
  • St Giles Trust
  • Abianda
  • Octopus Community Network
  • The Ben Kinsella Trust

Everyone who volunteers with one of the listed charities will receive their own ‘No More Red’ shirt and an invite to watch Arsenal play at the Emirates Stadium.

To mark the second year of the campaign, Arsenal’s men’s first team will wear an on-pitch version of the ‘No More Red’ shirts in their FA Cup tie away at Oxford United on January 9.

To commemorate the campaign, Islington Council leader, Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, helped to unveil a new mural at Rosemary Gardens on Thursday, December 5.

Islington Gazette: Islington Council leader Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz unveiled the mural at Rosemary Gardens Islington Council leader Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz unveiled the mural at Rosemary Gardens (Image: Islington Council)

Cllr Comer-Schwartz said: “In Islington, keeping our young people safe is a top priority and that is why we’re wholeheartedly supporting the No More Red campaign.

“Over the past year, the campaign has highlighted the local Islington heroes who work so hard day-to-day to support our young people and keep them safe.

“The No More Red mural in Rosemary Gardens will act as a centrepiece for our community and demonstrate how important youth safety is for us all.

“We’re looking forward to continuing to work with Arsenal and Adidas through No More Red to create and develop more safe and enjoyable spaces for young people.”

To find out more about the campaign visit Arsenal.com/NoMoreRed.