Purpose

Let’s Be Blunt is a CIC, established and run by Leanne Lucas, who was the dance teacher present when Axel Rudakubana stabbed and killed three children and injured 10 other people including Leanne, at a dance party in Southport on 29 July 2024.

This is an expansion of the existing contract (value £22K), which due to interest and demand across colleges and University, will allow Leanne to engage with additional establishments to create safer campuses through professional development for staff and creation of safer campuses through the Safer Knife Swap Scheme. This will also allow development of GM specific communications including digital and printed material, and accreditation material for those establishments engaging. Let’s Be Blunt CIC is part of the Knife Crime Coalition headed up by the Home Office and the national Safer Knifes Swap Scheme, now being evaluated by YEF. Leanne will work with the VRU to plan engagement and activity for the remainder of 2026/27.

Decision

The Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) will award a further £20,000 to engage Leanne Lucas) founder of ‘Let’s be Blunt’ campaign) to deliver an expansion of the existing contract (value £22,000), which due to interest and demand across colleges and University, will allow her to engage with additional establishments to create safer campuses through professional development for staff and creation of safer campuses through the Safer Knife Swap Scheme.