Club hosts tournament in memory of young footballer

Today, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation hosted the seventh annual Godwin Lawson Memorial Tournament at Frederick Knight Sports Ground in Tottenham.

The event, attended by Luke Amos and the Deputy Mayor of London for Policing and Crime, Sophie Linden, was held in memory of Enfield-born teenager Godwin Lawson, a budding footballer on the books of Oxford United who was fatally stabbed on 27 March 2010 as he tried to help friends during a street attack in Stamford Hill.

Following his death, Godwin’s mother, Yvonne, established the Godwin Lawson Foundation to commemorate the life of her son. Every year, the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation works in partnership with the Godwin Lawson Foundation to organise a football tournament in memory of Godwin and educate young people about the consequences of gun crime and street violence.

Over 80 teenagers representing clubs from across London took part in the five-a-side tournament and had the chance to meet Luke, who made his first team debut in our Premier League season opener at Newcastle this month, as he observed their skills and offered words of advice.

Luke said: “Growing up, I was lucky enough to have lots of opportunities to play football and stay away from any potential trouble. Tournaments such as these are a fantastic way to use the power of sport to engage youngsters and make them aware of the dangers of knife crime and gang culture, helping them to keep safe.”

As part of the Tottenham Hotspur Foundation’s ongoing work to tackle youth unemployment and crime in the area, the Club’s charitable body is working in partnership with the Deputy Mayor of London for Policing and Crime to train ‘Peace Ambassadors’. These young people encourage other teenagers to sign a pledge against carrying a weapon and act as positive role models within the local community.

The Foundation also delivers the ‘Tottenham Hotspur Community League,’ which runs in partnership with the Metropolitan Police and Haringey Council, and ‘KICKS’, which uses football to break down barriers between young people and the police.

Richard Allicock, Community Development Manager, Tottenham Hotspur Foundation, said: “We are proud to have supported the Godwin Lawson Memorial Tournament for the past seven years and, to date, over 500 local boys and girls have taken part in the tournament. It’s more important than ever for us to continue to organise events such as these to educate teenagers about the dangers of street violence and inspire them to lead rich, fulfilling lives and contribute to a safer community.”

Sophie Linden, Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, said: “Godwin Lawson was a young man full of promise and potential whose life was tragically cut short in an act of senseless violence. In the years since his death, his family have worked tirelessly to help keep young Londoners safe. At City Hall we have been working with the Godwin Lawson Foundation, along with community and grassroots groups across the capital, to help root out violence within our communities and give more young Londoners the skills, support and aspirations they need to turn away from crime and fulfil their potential.”

The Godwin Lawson Memorial Tournament is funded by the players of the People’s Postcode Lottery, who support Tottenham Hotspur Foundation’s community development projects. The funding awarded from People’s Postcode Lottery enables the Foundation to use the unique appeal of the Club to deliver creative, innovative and engaging programmes that improve social cohesion, build self-esteem and develop positive attitudes among young people.