Fair Trade: film screening highlighting the impact of the drugs trade on young people

Jason Bolaji is a normal 15 year old growing up in South London. He has a loving mother, great friends, and has always managed to stay out of trouble. Everything changes when he comes to the attention of a local drug dealer, and his world is turned upside down. What ensues is a tragic tale of innocence lost.

Fair Trade tells a story that is playing out across the UK, fuelled by gangs who groom vulnerable young people to sell drugs. The film will give you powerful look at the impact of the UK drugs trade on young people and their families.

With knife crime rising 57% in the past four years, and the number of victims under the age of 18 doubling, there has been increased attention on this new wave of violence and the causes behind it. Yet the complexity of the issues driving the surge in young violence, alongside cuts to policing and youth services, have made them extremely difficult to tackle.

The film shines a light on the human cost of the trade and also poses questions over the responsibility of drug users. In the UK, 1 in 10 adults aged 16-59 years reported illicit drug use in the last year. The demand for drugs is as much a part of the story as that of the suppliers.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion with the film's director and special guests Nelson Abbey, Keisha McLeod and Inspector Richard Berns. 

Watch the trailer 

YouTube Widget Placeholderhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GaM1hMs32cs

Links

• Department of Learning and Leadership

Image

Screenshot from trailer for Fair Trade, 2020