Prominent anti-gun and knife crime campaigner Alex Rose has been appointed as an ambassador for the Spirit of London Awards.

Alex, 19, set up the campaign Stop (Stop This Ongoing Problem) following the murder of his friend Eugene Attram in a gang brawl in Mitcham three years ago.

The Mitcham-resident was appointed as ambassador last week by a Spirit of London panel that included Leona Lewis, Olympic champion Christina Ohoruogu and high-ranking politicians.

Gary Trowsdale, executive director of the Spirit of London Awards, said: "Alexander Rose is the epitome of the kind of young person the awards programme has been modelled on.

“We were proud to have him close the inaugural awards show on Friday night with a short speech based on the poem that Damilola Taylor wrote shortly before his death nine years ago to the day on November 27.”

Alex’s campaigning has led to national media exposure and meetings with Gordon Brown, Desmond Tutu and Boris Johnson to discuss the issues involving knife and gun crime.

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