MOTHERS AGAINST VIOLENCE

Since August 1999 Mothers Against Violence (MAV) have supported the inner-city communities of Greater Manchester. MAV was birthed at a time when gun violence was at its worst in the inner-city community of Manchester. Three young black males were murdered in the space of eight days in one community. The mothers of that community took a stand and came out fighting not with guns but with words of Hope. It is with this same hope that Mothers Against Violence now serves the community providing mentoring support, educational awareness of gun and knife crime, counselling, workshops, and outreach work which includes campaigning for positive change in our community.

Since the late 1980’s Manchester has been affected by gun crime and since 1999 over 47 people have been murdered.

It was in 1999 MAV was formed, this was as a direct result of the community being affected by four-gun shootings in one week, which resulted in three deaths. 

A meeting was held and mothers from across the South Manchester area met to discuss how we as a community could stop these senseless killings and help make positive change in children and young people. This was a very significant time, and the community was moved, mothers continued to meet and as a result MAV was born.

MAV has worked tirelessly and fiercely to raise awareness and bring together communities and agencies to address this issue.

June 2001 saw a community response in these which hundreds of residents marched throughout the city in protest to the death accruing from gun crime, which incurred local and national interest. MAV was invited to attend a closed meeting with Tony Blair to highlight our concerns and discuss ways of moving forward. In 2004 MAV were awarded a voluntary service award by the queen at St James’s Palace London

Sadly, other cities began to experience the debilitating effects of gun crime. MAV was contacted by other support group to share our experiences to address the impact of gun crime on families. MAV have developed some strong alliances and work closely with other mothers who have lost the children as a direct result of gun crime. MAV now has 

regional links with London and Leeds. By forming such strong alliances our voices and views are now being heard around the country. MAV now have volunteers that are fathers, brothers, sisters, family and friends of those gun and knife crime victims.     

Our commitment and determination to see change within our community has been the motivation that has allowed MAV to work tirelessly with limited resources to engage with young people within our community