01/02/2018 London News

in their relationship

on a visit to Beijing.

Welcome to BBC London News.

I'm Alpa Patel.

Can churches help stop knife crime?

One church in South

London says it can.

It's been working with ex-gang

members to help them

turn their lives around.

But the church has been criticised

for being like a cult.

Noel Philips has

been investigating.

We are inside South London, in a

church where religion is being used

to reform ex-gang members like

26-year-old Kevin, who was recently

in prison for attempted murder.

Last

year and this year is actually the

first time I haven't been into

prison. So it's something that's

working.

These gangsters have

swapped the streets for the church.

We have had times when people are

dropping the drugs and knives on the

altar. Last week, I was praying for

a boy, he was crying.

Just two years

ago, this boy, who was in our

pastor, was facing a 10-year

sentence for a string of violent

crimes.

I went to jail for some

robberies, possession of a bladed

article. I was charged with Mullin

laundering of £30,000. I feel like

if I'd come here before, before I

was involved in that kind of stuff,

I'd have been shown the right mental

ship and guidance to not do those

things.

A far cry from his past

life. The 22-year-old joined a gang

when he was just 12. Do you remember

the first time you carried a knife?

I do, yes, aged 13. I took it to

school, but although I didn't do

anything with it it was there for

protection. It's like reckless

abandonment. You don't care about

what can happen, you don't care

about the consequences, you live in

the minute, so you get the knife,

you put it in your pocket. You don't

think the police down the road or

what if I get into a pub and

actually have to use this.

Bustard

one is the man for transforming

their lives. -- pastor Tobi is the

man for transforming their lives.

These people are drug dealers, the

authorities don't know what to do

right now. They looked to me like

they are confused. So call it a

church, call it whatever you want to

call it, it has to be the rule of

somebody.

But people on social media

have accused the 37-year-old pastor

of running a cult-like ministry,

something which he denies. At his

home, Pastor Tobi has ex-offenders

living with him from his church.

They need shelter. That's not

shelter from the gang people chasing

them, the mind. The mind is the

factory for everything and I've got

to do that. Again, I stumbled into

this. It's not a plan. It's not

something we sat down and said we're

going to have, but I deal with cases

and ask myself where do I want him

to go?

The Metropolitan Police has

welcomed Tobi three -- Pastor Tobi's

approach and Sony want more churches

like this to help reduce knife

crime.

For the first time since the second

world war, MPs look set to move out

of the Palace of Westminster.

It's while major renovation

work is carried out.

Simon Jones reports.

It may be a palace, but one that's

in desperate need of repair.

Anyone who's had building work done

on their home will know

it can be stressful,

but MPs are now facing the prospect

of moving out for several years

while it's carried out.

It will cost billions,

with both the Commons and the House

of Lords having to up sticks,

most likely to another

part of Whitehall.

Many MPs say it's only option.

The building's crumbling, it needs

rewiring, and it's not safe.

One said that conditions

were worse than down the pit.

There are some steel props

holding the roof up.

It looks a bit like the place I used

to work in before I came

into this building -

and that was Maltby colliery.

Other MPs are reluctant to go,

arguing the work should

be done around them.

There's also concern about the cost.

The Lords still have

to give their approval.

And with the proposed

departure not until 2025,

that's after the next general

election, the next Parliament may

take a different view.

Simon Jones reporting there.

A prisoner who was stabbed

at Wormwood Scrubs yesterday has

been named as 25-year-old Saleh

Khader.

Police have launched a murder

investigation after he was stabbed

yesterday afternoon at the prison.

A number of concerns

were raised over the safety

of prisoners and staff

at Wormwood Scrubs last year.

Now to an extraordinary woman

who spends her days working

as a firefighter in Yorkshire -

but also plays for one

of London's top football teams.

Nicola Hobbs will be

in goal for the London Bees

in the FA Cup this weekend,

after making one of her regular very

long journeys from her other job.

Emma Jones reports.

Teaching youngsters

about the Fire Service.

This is Nicola Hobbs' day job

with South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue

but she also happens to be

a goalkeeper for the London Bees who

train and play in North London.

I sometimes take annual leave

on Friday and go down Thursday to

Sunday for my game,

and training between,

or I travel up the night before

making sure that I'm all set

to go for work on the Friday.

Both I love to do,

I love my job and I love

football and I'll do anything

in my power to make that work.

At least two times

a week Nicola makes the

four-hour drive from one

of her jobs to the other.

Real proof of her determination

to succeed in both of her roles.

I was adamant to do what I wanted

to do, which is anything,

and I wanted to join

the Fire Service

and be a goalkeeper

at the

top-flight, so I worked really hard

to make that happen.

It just makes you work

harder for what you want

and I hope that inspires younger

girls to do the same.

Having another job on top

of playing football is

the reality for many women

who want to play the game.

But it doesn't stop

Nicola's team-mates and her

manager being impressed

with her dedication.

All of that experience of the clubs

she has played for at

different tiers, internationally,

doing what she does with the Fire

Service and having to travel down

as frequently as she does,

I think it's a testament to her hard

work and

determination.

She's a really good role model

for everybody, really.

It just shows you can

have a dual career and

you can be successful

in

sport and in the Fire Service,

or any other role you can.

She has to manage her

time appropriately.

It is hard work and

she does do a lot of

hours but she is

reaping the rewards,

success on the pitch

and off the pitch.

This Sunday the London Bees

play host to one of the

top teams in the country,

Chelsea, in the FA Cup,

so a busy Nicola can expect to be

very busy in gold

trying to keep her team

in the competition.

Emma Jones, BBC London News.

What an amazing woman! Good luck to

Nicola this weekend. Wasn't it

amazing last night, with the super

blue moon? How the weather looking?

Is Elizabeth Rizzini. -- here is

Elizabeth Rizzini.

Today, it's all about the sunshine

under bracingly cold brisk

north-westerly wind. Still some

spells of brightness out there for

the rest of the day, but more in the

way of cloud. Highs of 5-7, but

quite a lot of wind chill to factor

in. Through this evening's rush hour

the cloud will thicken out towards

the eastern areas. The skies will

clear once again, but once more the

risk of some showers across parts of

Essex in Hertfordshire. More cloud

we head into the start of the day

tomorrow. Winds fairly brisk.

Temperatures above freezing tomorrow

morning. Out towards eastern areas

there is always going to be more

cloud tomorrow and the winds will be

slightly stronger. Further west we

will see the best of the brightness

and possibly some sunshine. The

winds will be lighter tomorrow so it

will feel a bit more like eight

Celsius than it does today. As we

head into the weekend we have some

wet weather. This weather front is

pushing its way in from the West. It

will stall over us. Most of the rain

will be light and patchy but quite a

grim day on Saturday. Feeling cold,

outbreaks of drizzle on and off

during the day and quite a lot of

cloud around. We start to

north-easterly wind as we head into

the start of next week and the air

is going to be cold. It could turn

wintry at times.

is going to be cold. It could turn

wintry at times.

Not looking like a bad week ahead.

That's about it from me.

Riz Lateef will be here

with our 6:30pm evening programme.

But for now, from us all,

a very good afternoon.

Bye-bye for now.