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Outlook: My music bus healing a gang divide

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Justin Finlayson, a winner of the BBC Inspirations Awards 2020

21/12/2020 GMT

My music bus healing a gang divide

BBC World Service - Outlook, My music bus healing a gang divide

Justin Finlayson turned his London bus into a music studio to help at-risk young people

BBC Inspirations 2020 winner: Justin Finlayson turned his London bus into a music studio to help young people impacted by long term gang rivalries.

Justin Finlayson is a former bus driver on a mission to save young lives. He comes from an area of London which suffers from a long term gang divide. When the violence got particularly bad back in 2017, he drew on his driving background and came up with an idea to try to heal the rivalries. Justin bought a double decker bus, built a recording studio inside, and created a musical sanctuary where young people from warring areas could make music. Justin’s project, which he called United Borders, soon captured the attention of the stars of UK hip hop and grime - Akala, Stormzy and Nines. But the project wasn't easy, and the first bus was burnt down by arsonists. Justin persevered and now he's operating in a new bus, surrounded by young people whose lives he's changed. 

Jo Fidgen caught up with Justin to name him of the winners of BBC Inspirations 2020. For full details of the awards and Covid-19 related changes, please check the revised terms on our website: www.bbcworldservice.com/inspirations.

Producers: Harry Graham, Maryam Maruf, Troy Holmes
Editor: Munazza Khan

Picture: Justin Finlayson
Credit: Brunel Johnson

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