ExploitedCountyLines

Thanks @yorkshirepost yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/chr…

That’s it! I’ve sent the shortlisted poems and lyrics to all 53 judges for the national poetry and lyric competition. Young people were invited to write on the topic of county lines exploitation and associated crime. We will announce the overall winners on 11th August. @UNESCO #InternationalYouthDay Listen Up2! - will showcase the top 40 poems (out in March 2027). The first book has helped to raise £6,500 to date for Childline. 🥳

Laughter is the best medicine ever! I had a wonderful evening meeting the winning authors in the People's Book Prize, with @mollyarbuthnott , Will Grimsey, and Helmut Schuster. The most welcoming and friendly group of people you could wish to meet. We had a lovely dinner and drinks in the Athenaeum Club, London. I accepted my award on behalf of all the young people who had their work published in the Listen Up! anthology. The book has already helped to raise over £5,000 for @NSPCC Childline. Here's my link if you would like to donate to help give children and young people a lifeline. donate.justgiving.com/page/c…

Thank you.The more we can all do to help educate, the better. If you have any students who would like to submit poetry or lyrics into the national initiative, here’s the info: (open until 30th July). 1st prize: £500, 2nd prize; £250; 3rd prize £150. And an opportunity to have their work published in Listen Up2! missingstory.co.uk/competiti… Email entries: info@christinagabbitas.com

My view this morning @BAWPUK Listening to the very inspiring Lizzie Grant, Chief Officer of the Royal Navy Police.

Chatting to delegates @BAWPUK about the necessity of earlier intervention education into schools and communities through the power of storytelling. I’m a huge believer in giving children and young people a voice. This evening, I’ve been invited to an event in London to celebrate winning a national book award for my project, Listen Up! I will be accepting this on behalf of all the young people who contributed to this brilliant poetry and lyric anthology that has to date raised over £5k for @NSPCC Childline. Here’s the link: justgiving.com/team/listenup…

‼️Calling all educators and all who prioratize the wellbeing of children and young people‼️ A special thanks to the 40+ judges who are contributing to the success of this initiative in its second year! The submission deadline is June 30th. Please help us spread the word within your networks. The top prizes are £500, £350, and £150, along with the opportunity for the top forty to be featured in the "Listen Up Book 2." An exhibition of this work will be showcased at the largest UK music litertature festival, @Lthanwordsfest, in Manchester in November.

Over the past few days, I had the pleasure of participating, alongside talented artists Adisa the Verbaliser, Donovan Christopher (Rappaman), and Hafiza Issa, who are all spoken word artists, poets, and authors . On Wednesday and Thursday we visited secondary schools for part of the Children & Young People’s festival @ChildrensLFests Adisa, an acclaimed international performance poet, is known for his energetic and humorous style, often blending physical movement into his art. His work frequently delves into themes related to his Afro-Caribbean heritage and the broader African diaspora. Meanwhile, Donovan Christopher, is celebrated for his dynamic workshops, which he conducts across the UK and beyond. His sessions emphasize self-respect and cultural diversity, often featuring Jamaican patois while addressing critical issues such as bullying and cyberbullying. Hafiza Issa, who juggles her busy life raising three children, crafts performance poems that reflect universal themes of family, politics, and personal experiences. She has contributed to a poetry anthology in Manchester and has a published story "Earmuffs to the Moon," a book aimed at challenging misconceptions about autism by illuminating the perspectives of neurodivergent minds. Hafiza is dedicated to promoting awareness and acceptance of autism, inspiring others to pursue their goals with positivity. During the festival, I had the opportunity to deliver sessions to students in years 7, 8, and 9 at both schools, focusing on the power of storytelling in conveying vital messages about county lines exploitation, knife crime, and vaping. My sessions were also attended by the local policing team. Collaborating with police forces across the country, I developed resources tackling issues such as exploitation and knife crime. I firmly believe in the power of storytelling to effectively communicate these important messages, and both schools were presented with graphic style stories to further address these topics. Whether in schools or festivals, our collective inputs created impactful storytelling, encouraging cultural awareness, confidence, creativity, and crime.