Young friends of knife crime victim campaign for safer streets

Young people who lost their friend in a knife crime incident are fronting a campagn for safer streets in Gateshead.

Fourteen year old Tomasz Oleszak was killed in October 2022 at the Whitehills Nature Park, also known as ‘the lines’ in Gateshead which currently has no street lighting in place.

A petition, which has been started by the friends of Tomasz, will be sent to Gateshead Council to request street lighting in the area. Any written petition needs 2,000 signitures to be heard.

The young people are being given support by Youth Focus North East to organise, with the organisation's Megan Stratton saying: “We’ve been working with them since October or November.

"We came in and we clearly saw there was need for youth provision in the area.

"It was completely youth-led. We sat with them and decided what they thought would be a good idea and how they invisioned knife crime could be reduced and they decided on a petition."

A community garden has also been produced in memory of Tomasz while murals and street art have also been made in the area to remember the young man.

Tomasz’s friend Corban said: “We’re just trying to reduce crime really. You could save someone’s life. We need to make it light for everyone’s safety.

"It just needs done, it’s better for everyone.”

Another friend, Frankie, added: “Loads of people have been walking through the lines in the dark or pitch black and don’t know what might be in front of them or behind them.

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