A NORTH Yorkshire knife crime campaigner has launched a campaign in York to help bring a message to the city's school children.

Anti-drugs and knife crime advocate Christina Gabbitas has joined forces with Adverta Bus Advertising for a year-long campaign aimed at raising awareness about county lines exploitation and related criminal activities.

One of the campaign's features Christina’s impactful stories displayed on the York Pullman school bus, that symbolise how county lines operate by traveling from one locality to another. This bus serves various towns and villages as well as York, including Tadcaster, Selby, Pocklington, Boroughbridge, Spofforth, Huntington, Fulford, and Sherburn.

Christina, who has collaborated extensively with North Yorkshire Police since 2021, said: “I want to help disseminate this vital message to educate children, young people, and everyone in our communities.

"I hear far too many heart-breaking tales of young people getting ensnared in county lines due to debt bondage.”

The campaign also addresses the issue of cuckooing, a tactic where individuals take over someone’s home to use it as a base for drug distribution.

Christina Gabbitas has joined forces with Adverta Bus Advertising for a year-long campaign Christina Gabbitas has joined forces with Richard Haigh from Adverta Bus Advertising for a year-long campaign (Image: Supplied) Sgt Heidi Lewis from North Yorkshire Police said: “We fully support any initiatives aimed at raising awareness and greatly appreciate Christina’s dedication to making a positive impact.”

Richard Haigh from Averta said: “We are delighted to have Christina on board to showcase her work on the York Pullman bus. Our goal is to partner with local and national businesses to effectively convey their messages and reach a broad audience.”

Richard, whose father PC David Ian Haigh was murdered on duty in 1982, went on to say: “Personally, I have great admiration for Christina’s efforts to engage with the younger generation through storytelling and literature. This approach is incredibly powerful, especially as it sheds light on the harsh realities faced by children who may be lured into a life of crime across the country. Her work serves as a crucial reminder of these pressing issues.”

The initiative aims to encourage schools to engage in meaningful conversations about these critical issues. Christina stated that any primary or secondary schools that schedule a session with her will receive support from North Yorkshire Police to enhance the visits, reinforcing their successful collaborative partnership.