A CAMPAIGNER is calling for a "ceasefire" day after a series of stabbings and shootings across London.

Child counsellor Minty Challis is hoping thousands of people will attend a march from Catford to Lewisham next month to unite the community.

The 40-year-old is even asking gang members across south east London to get involved in order to be educated on drug and gun-related crime.

She has decided to act following the death of 15-year-old Adam Regis, who was stabbed to death near West Ham's Upton Park stadium on his way home from a cinema on March 17.

The youngster, who had family in Catford and who was the nephew of Lewisham-born Olympic sprinter John Regis, is the fifth London teenager to be fatally stabbed in the past seven weeks.

Catford resident Miss Challis said: "It gave me the final push to do something in this area. The kids do not have anything.

"I want a ceasefire for a day to get the gangs to listen to what we have to say and make them think about what they are doing."

Residents, including various hip-hop and reggae groups, will be meeting opposite the cat statue in Rushey Green, Catford, at noon on April 21.

The procession, led by a samba band, will stop outside Lewisham police station, where there will be a one-minute silence for Emmanuel Odunewu.

Nineteen-year-old Emmanuel was stabbed to death at a nearby bus stop on November 28 last year.

The march will then continue to a park where food and drink stalls will be available.

A specific park is due to be confirmed but it could be Mountsfield Park, Stainton Road, Catford.

Miss Challis, who used to be part of one of the first girl gangs in London during the 1970s, called The Wall, said: "We will give advice to gang members and talk about where guns really come from.

"We will talk about issues such as the fact heroin and cocaine are made in villages, to make them see how people are suffering and how people making the drugs are enslaved.

"Knowledge is more powerful than having a gun."

Miss Challis also wants a youth conference to meet twice a year to allow young people and gang members to work together.

She says one of the ways to unite gangs to prevent them from shooting each other could be to hold hip-hop or skating competitions where rewards could be given out.

The Lewisham Community Police Consultative Group is already planning its own conference to address gun, knife, drug and gang issues.

This will be held at the Civic Suite, Catford, from 9.30am to 4.30pm on April 13.

Group chairman David Michael said: "We were thinking about doing a march with church and faith leaders and the community in Lewisham and we would be happy to support a similar march.

"It's important the community mobilises together to address these serious concerns."

A Lewisham Council spokesman said: "We would support all reasonable initiatives which reduce opportunities for crime in the borough and especially those which have the potential to involve young people."

To book a place at the consultative group conference, call 020 8314 8975.