‘Carry a basketball not a blade’: Organisers ‘really pleased’ with success of campaign visits to Northampton schools

A campaign group encouraging young people to ‘carry a basketball not a blade’ has visited 16 schools across Northampton, leaving organisers “really pleased” with the progress made.

The chairman of Basketball Northants, a voluntary organisation promoting the sport across the county, was heavily touched by the two fatal stabbings in the town last year.

With the success of the organisation's ‘youth justice basketball project’ in engaging with vulnerable students in early 2023, chair Martin Spencer knew there was the scope to do more.

Basketball player Andre Arissol is the face of the ‘carry a basketball not a blade’ campaign, which launched seven months ago in June 2023.

Andre is a professional player in the men’s National League as a result of his hard work since he started playing the sport in Northampton aged 13.

Having played for the England under 20s and with an impressive record at the age of just 27, Andre hoped to become a positive role model in encouraging young people to take up sport.

Since the launch event, which saw many individuals from the sport and charity sectors gather in support, the first phase of visiting schools to get this important message across got underway.

The school sessions have been made possible through funding from the High Sheriff and the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s ‘Making Northamptonshire Safer’ scheme.

When asked how the school visits have gone so far, Martin said: “We’re really pleased. The children thoroughly enjoy doing the activity with Andre.

“With Anna Letts’ classroom sessions, you learn as you go. As an experienced primary teacher, Anna knows how to direct the information and education around the topic. She’s in tune with the requirements for different children.”

The team has been particularly pleased with the response from year six pupils, as they have found it easier to secure sessions in primary schools across the town.

As it proves more difficult to make arrangements in secondary schools with exam pressures, Martin hopes their visit to Northampton School for Boys on Monday (January 22) will be a “catalyst” for more moving forward.

The funding secured has even been used to provide campaign basketballs to the schools, to enhance the equipment they have available for students.

“The main mission is to lead them towards positive activity instead of negative involvement,” said Martin.

He added that they encourage the students to take up the sport they find most interesting. However, if all pupils take up a new activity, Martin fears the next problem will be local clubs not having the capacity to take everyone on.

Martin and Anna are the brains behind the NN Streetballerz basketball group, which recently moved inside to Malcolm Arnold Academy from the Racecourse.

They have found the best way to engage with young people is to allow them to make choices and to give them a voice.

To enable the campaign to continue its important work, an online fundraising page has been set up.

“For us it’s very important,” said Martin. “We’ll continue to put in funding applications and carry on with the campaign until the schools have had enough. The second crowdfunding page is essential to supplement that.”

Family members and friends of those involved in the campaign were “ever so generous” the first time around, but Martin would like to see the involvement of companies moving forward.

If businesses have the capacity to make a donation, Martin would encourage them to get in touch and find out how it can also benefit them.

To help the carry a basketball not a blade campaign reach its £5,000 target, you can visit the online fundraising page here.