Simmply Active Launches National Knife Crime Awareness Campaign
On 3rd August 2026, Simmply Active launched its first national knife crime awareness campaign, delivering a powerful message that challenges one of the UK's biggest misconceptions surrounding knife crime:
"Kids can learn to pick up knives younger than you think."
Created in partnership with TBWA\MCR and supported by Bauer Media Outdoor, the campaign encourages parents, carers, schools and communities to recognise that conversations about knife crime and safeguarding need to happen much earlier than many people realise. The campaign has been displayed across digital outdoor advertising sites throughout the UK thanks to Bauer Media Outdoor's support through its Platform for Good initiative, helping bring this important message to millions of people.
Why This Campaign Matters
Knife crime is often associated with teenagers, but professionals working with children are increasingly recognising that exposure to knives, violence and harmful influences can begin at a much younger age.
At Simmply Active, we believe that prevention starts long before a young person picks up a knife.
Through positive activities, trusted relationships, mentoring, education and early intervention, we work to create opportunities that help children and young people develop confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging.
Our campaign isn't about creating fear, it's about encouraging awareness and helping families start important conversations before problems escalate.
A National Collaboration
This campaign has been made possible through an incredible collaboration between:
The creative campaign features familiar childhood toys carrying realistic knife wounds, highlighting the uncomfortable reality that children can become exposed to knife carrying much earlier than many adults expect.
By using striking imagery, the campaign encourages parents and carers to stop, reflect and ask an important question:
Are we having these conversations early enough?
“We knew this campaign had to be impossible to ignore because the issue itself is often overlooked. The toy imagery creates an immediate emotional reaction while making clear that this is about very young children, not just teenagers. Our aim was to help Simmply Active bring this safeguarding concern into the public eye and encourage earlier awareness among parents and carers.”
Making Headlines Across the UK
Following the launch on 3rd August 2026, the campaign quickly gained national attention, helping raise awareness of the importance of early intervention and safeguarding children across the UK.
The campaign was featured in national newspapers, online publications, and across ITV News and other live broadcast platforms, bringing the message to millions of people. Through striking campaign imagery and powerful storytelling, the campaign encouraged parents, carers, schools, and communities to start conversations before it's too late.
With additional support from Bauer Media Outdoor, the campaign was displayed on digital advertising screens across the UK, extending its reach even further and helping shine a national spotlight on the importance of protecting vulnerable young people.
As Featured In
Daily Star
National Press Association coverage
ITV News
GB News
Bauer Media Outdoor digital billboards
David Simmons Speaks Nationally
Following the launch, Simmply Active Founder David Simmons travelled to London to speak about the campaign across national media.
David appeared on ITV News, along with other live television platforms, discussing:
Why early intervention matters.
The importance of recognising safeguarding concerns.
How positive opportunities can change young people's lives.
The role communities, parents and schools play in preventing youth violence.
David's story is deeply personal. His passion for prevention began after witnessing a six-year-old child bring a knife into a primary school playground while he was working as a teacher, an experience that highlighted the need to support vulnerable children much earlier through positive engagement and trusted relationships.
David Simmons, Founder and Director of Simmply Active, said:
“Most people associate knife carrying with teenagers, but our experience shows that some children are being exposed to these influences much earlier. This campaign is about encouraging awareness and starting conversations before problems escalate. If parents feel more informed and more confident about spotting concerns early, we've achieved what we set out to do.”
Creating Positive Pathways
At Simmply Active, we believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to feel safe, valued and inspired.
Through Simmply Project UK, our early intervention programme, we use:
Sport and physical activity
Youth mentoring
Education and awareness
Positive role models
Community engagement
to help young people build confidence, make positive choices and access brighter futures.
Knife crime prevention isn't simply about responding when something has gone wrong, it's about creating environments where young people can thrive before they become vulnerable to harmful influences.
Thank You to Our Partners
We would like to thank everyone who helped bring this campaign to life.
A special thank you to TBWA\MCR for their outstanding creativity and commitment to delivering such a powerful national message, and to Bauer MediaOutdoor for generously supporting the campaign through its advertising network and helping raise awareness across communities nationwide.
We also want to thank every organisation, school, partner, parent and supporter who continues to stand with us in creating safer communities for children and young people.
Together We Can Make a Difference
Real change starts with awareness. It starts with conversations. It starts with trusted adults.
And it starts long before a young person picks up a knife.
If you'd like to learn more about our early intervention work, mentoring programmes and knife crime awareness initiatives, visit Simmply Project UK.
Together, we can create positive pathways and brighter futures for the next generation.
