Damilola: The Untold Story - The Conversation Continues

On Sunday 18th October, the Aethos hotel in Shoreditch played host to an exclusive community screening of Damilola: The Untold Story, the BBC documentary that aired earlier this month. Billed as "Beyond the Screen: Coming Out the Other Side", the event ran from 6pm to midnight and brought together a large and engaged audience for a screening of the film followed by a panel discussion.

The panel, which included Leroy, was titled "Connecting the Dots" and proved to be a powerful and wide-ranging conversation. What struck those in the room was how much the issues the film raises are still very much present in people's everyday conversations. The unresolved questions it poses about knife crime, community safety, the role of public services and the relationship between communities and the police have not disappeared since Damilola's death in 2000 - and the audience made that clear.

The event drew a large crowd - reportedly turning people away at the door - and spanned generations. For many younger attendees, the documentary was their introduction to Damilola's story. For others, it brought back memories of a moment that shaped their understanding of the world they grew up in. That intergenerational dimension gave the evening a particular resonance and depth, with voices from across the decades contributing to what became a profound and in-depth debate.

Leroy reflected afterwards that the event underlined why these conversations need to keep happening. Community safety and security must remain at the forefront of our public services - and in particular, the police. If screenings like this one, and the conversations they generate, can help keep that pressure on, then the legacy of Damilola's story continues to mean something.

Damilola: The Untold Story is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.