Murad Qureshi, Labour London Wide Assembly Member, is urging local voluntary and community groups working with young people to bid for a share of £5million of new funding for young Londoners announced today by Mayor Ken Livingstone.

£73million has already been pledged to the London boroughs to support projects offering young people positive activities and alternatives to getting involved in gang culture. The £5million announced today, called the “˜Young Londoners’ Fund’ is ring fenced specifically for voluntary and community groups who work with young people.

Murad said “˜This new money recognises the vital role local groups provide to our young people, providing activities, sport and education alongside those provided by statutory agencies. I hope that as many groups as possible will apply for funding to enable them to carry on their excellent work’.

Decades of under investment have led to a decline in the levels and quality of services for young people and I’m delighted that the Mayor is now taking huge steps to rectify this. If young people have more safe and fun activities to take part in they are less likely to end up hanging around on the streets causing trouble at best and at worst getting involved with the guns and knives of gang culture which as we unfortunately know, leads to tragic consequences.

Murad added: ‘This investment would provide groups like the All Stars Boxing and Youth Club on Harrow Road (W9) with alternative means of funding to that from local councils such as the City of Westminster. I hope all voluntary and community groups working with young people will apply with the LDA or their share of the youth offer by the Mayor.’