Term Time Ambassador Meets Cherie Blair

An anti-bullying campaigner and Term Time Ambassador has been praised for his work by the wife of former Prime Minister Tony Blair. Twenty-year-old Alex Holmes, of Woodside, Stony Stratford, continued his one-man crusade against bullying by joining a campaign to rid the streets of knives and guns. On Sunday his volunteer work across Milton Keynes was commended by Cherie Blair at a live television debate for Channel 4's Disarming Britain campaign.

Alex said: "This is such an important issue.

"Every week in 2007 a teenager was murdered on Britain's streets and this year is no different.

"Lots have nicknamed it '2000 and hate'.

"We need to find out why young people aren't respecting each other and young people are a very important part of this process and ultimately the solution.

Cherie congratulated me on my antibullying work and she said how it was so important that young people were a part of the 'Street Weapons Commission' debate."

The Street Weapons Commission is an independent and diverse group of commissioners chaired by Cherie Booth QC. Alex began his campaign at Kingsbrook Business and Enterprise College in Deanshanger three years ago after he was bullied at the age of 15.

Sunday's live studio debate took an unflinching look at the truth about gun and knife crime among young people, presented by Jon Snow.

Over the last year Alex has toured schools around Milton Keynes, offering encouragement and words of advice to youngsters who feel threatened. He is keen to tackle the knife culture among young people which has been under the spotlight in recent weeks following a series of stabbings in London.

Now Alex, who is working at Radcliffe school in Wolverton, is calling on Milton Keynes' youth to give their input and ideas on what we should do about street crime. He said: "Ultimately I want to change the culture in schools of not telling and make it fun to get involved and cool to get along with each other and respect each other."

Relevant links:

Alex's Myspace page

Alex's Facebook page

Heads High on Myspace

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