Peace charity launches film to tackle extremism in schools

The film features a former jihadi fighter, a white supremacist and an Irish Republican

A peace charity has launched a film featuring four former extremists to highlight the issue to schoolchildren.

The Cheshire-based Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace released My Former Life as part of an education programme which it hopes will be shown in schools across the United Kingdom.

It shows an ex-jihadi fighter, a US white supremacist, a man who fought in Afghanistan, and an Irish Republican.

The charity said the film depicts the "brutal reality of extremism".

'Sold false promises'

Chief executive Nick Taylor said the four first became extremists through being "sold false promises".

The film discusses how this is done as well as how they managed to turn away from extremism.

Mr Taylor said they also describe why they had united with his foundation to "fight for peace" against those who use violence and terrorism.

"It was a very brave thing to do; not only to renounce their past violence but to admit it and share their experiences to help others," he said.

The project was launched before an audience of education chiefs and agencies, including the police, at the Foundation for Peace centre in Warrington.

Kelly Simcock, from the foundation, told BBC Breakfast: "I think the seeds are planted at a very early stage so we need to be getting to people as young as 11. This particular package is aimed at young people aged 14-19 but it can go to people much younger."

Mr Taylor said the project had received "positive feedback" after it was tested on more than 200 youngsters in schools and groups including multi-faith groups in Manchester, Leeds, Warrington and Liverpool.

The foundation was established by the parents of Tim Parry, 12, and three-year-old Johnathan Ball.

The boys were killed in the 1993 Warrington IRA bombing.