Stop the killing - Charity Fundraiser for Flavasum Trust and The Robert Levy Foundation. Blog 106

Hi All!

Tom Easton

I got back late last night from a Charity Fundraising Gala at Gilgamesh in Camden. 

It was in support of the Flavasum Trust and The Robert Levy Foundation . Both family trusts set up in memory of their sons, Tom Easton who was murdered in his music studio in Islington in 2006, he was 23,  and of Robert Levy stabbed in Hackney in 2004 at the age of 16.


http://www.robertlevyfoundation.org/
http://www.theflavasumtrust.org/

It was an uplifting and lovely event. We have worked with both charities, but have been supported with some small and finely targeted grants from Flavasum towards evaluating the impact of our work in theatre with and for young people around gang violence and knife crime specifically. 

Tom was a musician, just beginning his career and working in Islington in a music studio with a group of young people in September 2006, when an unknown friend of the group walked in and stabbed him. He died soon after. 

Dolores Altaras his mother and stepfather Peter set up Flavasum to channel their unspeakable grief and pain into something for good with and for young people. And since the arts were in Tom's heart and soul - so it was that the arts and theatre in particular has become their focus. 

For the Levy's - they too looked at the resources and skills of family and friends and set up their many development and practical skills programmes. 

I have known Dolores and Peter for a long time, indeed way before Tom's tragic death. Indeed we met because she was the original architect of our studios at the Malthouse. I met Ian and Pat Levy shortly after Robert's death. 

What strikes me so powerfully whenever I see these families is just how vital and alive they are, how purposeful and driven to find ways to reach out to and involve young people to prevent them from experiencing the tragedy they have. These people who have suffered the most indescribable grief, the loss of a child, a death out of its time have a quality that is tangible. They are of course each different in their own way, but the common qualities are softness, warmth, family, community, and above all no bitterness. Its as though all the initial grief, which I know rears its head at regular intervals still, is transmuted into love. Its deeply affecting. How this alchemy of the human spirit and soul works who knows - but it does. These folk become beacons, lighting the way to the uninitiated to the places of community and peace. Their dreadful grief has gifted them with grace.

I was really pleased that Peter and Dolores asked us to bring our young women from the Finding the Words Programme to present some of the film and speak their poem to those gathered. Natalie and Nita drilled the girls (of course!) and they presented to consummate professionalism and skill. I can't tell you how proud I am of them. They'll be running for parliament before long (and God help us we need them!) 

I hope the ambitions of both charities touched people's hearts and that they dipped into their pockets to support all the projects made possible by both charities! 


These are our children and we have a collective responsibility to keep them safe and to create spaces and opportunities that enable them to realise their dreams and ambitions. 

We look forward to developing our theatre, film and drama work with Flavasum to do our collective bit to safeguard our young people and support them in making good life choices.