According to a recent announcement, the Royal Navy’s efforts to combat knife crime and gang culture on Merseyside have been praised by local civic leaders.

The initiative, part of the Royal Navy Combat Sports Initiative, has been providing martial arts training and fitness sessions to young people in areas affected by these issues.

The latest session took place at the Two Brothers Gym in Birkenhead, where Royal Marines and Royal Navy personnel offered their expertise to help redirect the energy and aggression of local youths into more constructive outlets.

Over the past year, volunteers from the Navy and the Royal Marines have been running similar sessions across northern and northeastern England. These sessions, say the Royal Navy, aim to offer young people alternatives to street violence while promoting values such as self-discipline and respect for others.

They add that the initiative is driven by personnel who, after returning from deployments, found their communities struggling with a growing gang culture and decided to take action.