Four people sit on a painted picnic bench in front of a metal fence. Behind them is a large black banner reading “SILENCE IS NOT AN OPTION”, with CrimeStoppers and EVOLVE logos visible on the banner.
Four years after a series of tragic shootings shocked Merseyside, the bereaved families are backing a powerful new educational resource to help prevent more young lives being lost to violence.
August 16 2022 saw the start of one of Merseyside’s most devastating weeks.
Twenty-two-year-old Sam Rimmer was shot while standing with friends on Lavrock Bank, Dingle. Five days later, 28-year-old Ashley Dale was killed in Old Swan and the following day nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel was fatally shot in Dovecot.
Ashley and Olivia were in their own homes where they should have been safest.
Their murders led to Merseyside Police being given funding by the Home Office to begin a Clear, Hold, Build operation, known locally as EVOLVE, bringing together police, local authorities, Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, health services, schools and community partners to tackle serious organised crime and create safer neighbourhoods.
There are now four EVOLVE sites in Merseyside that have each made significant progress in improving those communities since their launch.
EVOLVE Wirral, Merseyside’s second site, was launched in December 2022 following the fatal shooting of Elle Edwards outside the Lighthouse Pub in Wallasey on Christmas Eve.
The four families have now contributed to the Dear Merseyside education resource which is set to launch in September to encourage young people to think differently about violence, exploitation and the choices they make, to be part of the solution to making Merseyside a safer place for generations to come.
Developed by Merseyside Police and the Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, the free educational resource has been designed for use in secondary schools, youth organisations and other education providers across the region.
At its heart is the moving poem Dear Merseyside, written by Liverpool poet Joseph Roberts, which reflects on community, loss and hope.
The poem is used as a starting point for guided classroom discussions about the devastating impact of violence, recognising criminal exploitation and making positive life choices, supported by lesson materials, activities and films edited by Adam Thompson from Humans of Liverpool.
It also encourages young people to use their voices for change and create their own Dear Merseyside poems and other creative outputs.
The education resource builds on the success of the assemblies and workshops with Joseph Roberts and crime prevention partners that first started in secondary schools in the EVOLVE areas last March and have seen more than 7,250 Year 7, 8 and 9 pupils from 15 schools participate to date.
The resource has been shaped with the support and involvement of the families of Sam Rimmer, Ashley Dale, Olivia Pratt-Korbel and Elle Edwards, ensuring their loved ones’ stories continue to inspire positive change while being shared with dignity and respect.
The families paid tribute to their loved ones in the resource.
We want something positive to come from our loss. Our loved ones should still be here. They had dreams, ambitions and futures ahead of them that were cruelly taken away.
We have chosen to support this resource because we want young people to hear the human stories behind the headlines.
We hope they see that every act of violence leaves families, friends and communities living with its consequences forever.
If this helps even one young person to think differently, make a better choice or stay safe, it matters.
Bereaved families
The anniversaries of these tragic murders are a time to remember the lives that were taken far too soon and to reflect on the devastating impact their loss continues to have on their families, friends and communities.
What makes the Dear Merseyside resource so powerful is that it has a thought-provoking poem at its core, which is essentially a love letter to Merseyside written by Liverpool poet Joseph Roberts, and it has been supported by families who have experienced the devastating consequences of violence first hand.
They have chosen to turn unimaginable loss into an opportunity to educate and protect future generations – to encourage young people to think about the choices they make, the influences around them, the values they hold and the part they can play in creating positive change.
The resource challenges harmful attitudes and social norms, helps young people recognise exploitation, and gives them opportunities to discuss important issues openly and honestly.
Most importantly, it empowers young people to use their voices and talents to shape the future of their communities.
We are incredibly grateful to the families for helping create a lasting legacy from unimaginable loss. We hope this resource inspires young people across Merseyside to make positive choices, support one another and help build safer, stronger communities for generations to come.
Our EVOLVE operations are making significant progress in helping improve communities affecting crime but education is one of the most powerful tools we have to prevent violence before it happens, and we hope Dear Merseyside will help schools start important conversations that could ultimately save lives.
Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Grounds, the head of EVOLVE for Merseyside Police
Since launching in August 2022, EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley has brought together partners to reduce violence, disrupt organised crime and invest in communities through prevention, education and opportunities for young people.
The Dear Merseyside resource represents the latest stage of that work, creating a lasting educational legacy for schools across Merseyside.
Dear Merseyside is a powerful example of how creativity, education and lived experience can come together to help prevent violence and create lasting change.
Through poetry, spoken word and creative writing, it gives young people a safe space to explore difficult issues, share their perspectives and reflect on the future they want for themselves and their communities.
By encouraging young people to find and use their voices, the project helps build confidence, resilience and a sense of belonging. It empowers them to influence positive change and reinforces the importance of early intervention and prevention in creating safer communities.
This work is particularly important in communities which have experienced the devastating impact of organised crime. Through the EVOLVE project, significant progress has been made to disrupt organised crime groups and reclaim neighbourhoods which have suffered from their influence.
However, we can never be complacent. We must continue working proactively with partners, residents and young people to tackle the root causes of criminality, build resilience and ensure organised crime groups are unable to regain a foothold in our communities.
Most importantly, this resource would not have been possible without the courage and generosity of the families of Sam Rimmer, Ashley Dale, Olivia Pratt-Korbel and Elle Edwards.
Despite experiencing unimaginable loss, they have chosen to turn their grief into a force for positive change. Their contribution ensures these lessons are rooted in real experiences, helping to inspire and protect future generations while creating a lasting legacy for their loved ones.
Merseyside Police Commissioner Emily Spurrell
Since the launch of EVOLVE Liverpool-Knowsley in August 2022, there have been:
- More than 2,680 arrests
- Hundreds of kilos of Class A and B drugs seized with an estimated street value of several million pounds
- More than £1,645,000 seized in cash and assets – this has been reinvested into communities via participatory budget events and other schemes
- More than 195 offensive weapons seized
- Hundreds of vulnerable people safeguarded
Watch the video of Joseph Robert’s Dear Merseyside video here.
You can also watch a sneak preview of the Dear Merseyside education resource here.