Ben Kinsella: Friends and family to remember murdered teen with 10km walk decade on from tragic death

Victim: Ben Kinsella was stabbed to death ten years ago
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Chloe Chaplain29 June 2018
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The friends and family of murdered teenager Ben Kinsella will walk 10km through the streets of London to mark ten years since his death.

The 16-year-old died after being stabbed in an unprovoked attack in Islington in 2008 after he went out to celebrate the end of his GCSEs.

His family, who have been campaigning for a reduction in knife crime ever since his tragic death, plan to mark the anniversary with a charity walk through north London to commemorate Ben.

The event will celebrate the young man’s life and raise money for the Ben Kinsella Trust, which works with young people to teach them about the dangers of knife crime.

A protest march in Islington after Ben Kinsella's death

Ben’s sister, EastEnders actress Brooke Kinsella, told the Standard that the family, who will also be holding a memorial mass for the teen, wanted to mark his death in a positive way.

But she said the anniversary would be “heartbreaking” nonetheless.

The 34-year-old, who has been a central figure in the fight against knife crime since her brother’s death, said "so many" lives are affected when someone dies through knife crime.

Grief: Brooke Kinsella
Alex Lentati

"It's not just the life you're taking, it's not one life, it's so many more than that,” she said. "When I look at my mum and dad and I see there's no light in their eyes. When I got married and my brother wasn't there, and my husband will never know my brother. My nephews will never have met Ben.”

The Ben Kinsella Trust has educated 13,000 schoolchildren from the age of 10 to 17 about the dangers of knife crime since it was set up.

"My family and many, many other families have tried really hard to make a difference and the only thing that kept us going with Ben's legacy is the hope that we could make a change.

"Ten years on I'd love to be able to stand up and say 'look how far we've come' but I can't do that.

Brooke Kinsella at her brother's grave in 2011
BBC

"It's really disappointing, and it's quite scary actually the way that it is at the moment. But we simply can't give up, that's not an option."

An event page for the march said: “The 29th June will mark the 10th Anniversary of Ben Kinsella's murder.

“To remember and celebrate Ben's life and continue his legacy we are walking 10 km between Islington and Victoria Park along the beautiful Regents Canal.”

The walk will be held on Saturday at midday and will go along the Canal towpath that runs from Islington to Victoria Park and back.

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