In The Press

In The Press

Here you will find press coverage of our latest projects, awards and work. Check back regularly for updates, there always something going on at Round Midnight.

The Metaverse Insider - Birmingham
Schools Harness Virtual Reality

In an innovative approach to tackling the issue of knife crime among young individuals, schools in Birmingham have turned to virtual reality (VR) technology as an educational tool.

By immersing students into realistic scenarios, this groundbreaking initiative aims to raise awareness about the impact of knife crime and equip young people with the knowledge and decision-making skills necessary to navigate such situations responsibly.

Young people using Virtual_Decisions VR headsets

The Westbridgeford Wire - Police use VR headsets to warn teenagers about knife crime

Teenagers were given a virtual reality experience as they learned about the dangers of knife crime.

The young people, participants at a regular community football session laid on by the police and Nottingham Forest Community Trust, took part in the session on Monday night as part of Operation Sceptre – a nationwide educational initiative.

BBC Midlands Today - Birmingham schools use virtual reality to tackle knife crime.

Schools in Birmingham are using virtual reality (VR) to teach children about the impact of knife crime.

Pupils across the city have been immersed into a life-like scenario and tasked with making decisions as a situation escalates.

The experience, called Virtual_Decisions: Knives, is set in the city and uses interactive narratives.

It was created by Round Midnight, an educational tech company.

The Magistrate: Magazine features Round Midnight's Virtual_Decisions: KNIVES Manchester launch.

Magistrates
“The Round Midnight programme is amazing, the approach worked really effectively with our students as it gave them time to talk, and the facilitators listened to everything they needed to speak about.” – Nicola Jones, Enrichment Coordinator at Youth Challenge Secondary. 

Oldham Evening Chronicle: The Magistrate: Innovative knife crime programme is coming to Mahdlo.

Carrying a knife, and the implications and consequences that can result from it, are being explored at an innovative virtual reality session for teenagers and young people with additional needs at Mahdlo Youth Zone in Oldham.

The Egerton Street centre is hosting a two-hour session with an acclaimed educational programme called Virtual_Decisions, which uses virtual reality headsets to place participants in knife scenarios that take them on a journey of different outcomes depending on the decisions they make while immersed in the action.

Virtual Decisions KNIVES - Knife crime awareness

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester tries Virtual_Decisions: KNIVES

Round Midnight were featured on North West Tonight following the launch of  the Violence Prevention through Virtual Education – in a partnership with the Greater Manchester Magistrate’s Association and the Greater Manchester Violence Reduction Unit.

Mr Burnham was also interviewed for a podcast by Round Midnight’s Josh Bricknall, an actor in Virtual_Decisions: Gangs and KNIVES.

Meet the theatre company using VR to support vulnerable communities

Ever been engrossed in theatre at the West End? Well, Birmingham-based theatre company Round Midnight takes drama to the next level by using cutting-edge educational technology to create a fully immersive experience. 

The creative arts company work primarily with young vulnerable people on the edge of criminality. With their groundbreaking virtual reality films, the company encourages participants to look at the nature of risk-taking behavioural choices and discuss the consequences of such actions. Young people explore the themes of gang culture, criminal exploitation, peer pressure, knife crime and risk-taking & anti-social behaviour.

Good News Shared logo
PRESS Good News Shared

Virtual reality anti-knife crime workshops staged in Bolton schools

Press  - Bolton News Logo
Press - Bolton News

Youngsters across Bolton will be learning about the impact of knife crime during virtual reality workshops.

Round Midnight are a creative arts company that specialises in drama and tech in education and will be delivering workshops across 20 schools and youth clubs in Bolton over the next three weeks.

Birmingham theatre group using VR in fight against school knife crime - Birmingham Live

A Birmingham-based theatre in education company is getting ‘virtual reality real’ about the huge social issue of knife crime.

Round Midnight, established in 1992, has dedicated itself to being the bridge between kids, police and schools to spark honest conversations and potential solutions.

Press. Birmingham Live logo
Press. Birmingham Live

THEATRE COMPANY DELIVERS VIRTUAL REALITY PROGRAMME TO HELP WEST MIDLANDS POLICE TO REDUCE KNIFE CRIME

Birmingham- based theatre company, Round Midnight Creative Arts is working with West Midlands Police to help reduce knife crime within the region.

As part of its Virtual_Decisions Universe, Round Midnight was commissioned by the West Midlands Police to create a new virtual reality (VR) film called Virtual_Decisions: KNIVES, following the success of its award-winning film about gang cultures. 

D LUXE logo
Press. D LUXE magazine

New film hammers home consequences of carrying a knife - Solihull Observer

PRESS - Solihull Observer
Press. Solihull Observer
A creative arts company and West Midlands Police, the region’s Police and Crime Commissioner are to launch a new interactive virtual reality film that aims to help tackle knife crime.

Working with police officers, the award winning Round Midnight has made Virtual_Decisions:KNIVES, a new educational virtual reality programme that allows viewers to make decisions about knives that determine how the story ends.

 

Interactive film launched to tackle knife crime - BBC Midlands Today

Virtual_Decisions: KNIVES, a new interactive film is being launched in schools today to tackle the problem of knife crime in the West Midlands.

The virtual reality program will challenge young people to make decisions about knives, which determine how the film ends.

Knife crime has more than doubled in the region since 2012.

Press. Round Midnight arts worker delivers Virtual_Decisions
Press. Phil Hyde, Virtual_Decisions:KNIVES

VRWorldTech dubs Virtual_Decisions: KNIVES a "really engaging way to educate young people".

Press. Virtual Decisions Knives
Press. Cast, Virtual_Decisions:KNIVES
Mark Dugdale has covered the Virtual_Decisions: KNIVES trials on the VR World Tech website, in his latest article, “VR proves impactful in educating young people about dangers of knife crime”.
 

Innovation Alliance recognise the work of Round Midnight

A case study of Round Midnight’s Virtual_Decisions featured on the Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands Innovation Tracker.
Press. Innovation Tracker - Round Midnight Ltd
Press release from Innovation Tracker

Round Midnight Featured in London Tech Week: 12 Clusters of Tech

BBC Radio West Midlands: Virtual_Decisions Feature

Round Midnight were visited by BBC Radio West Midlands journalist Robert Trigg in March. Mr. Trigg came along to our Birmingham office to try out Virtual_Decisions, our groundbreaking VR film that tackles challenging PSHE subjects with student’s own decision making abilities at its core. 

Both the interview and the BBC Radio West Midlands feature were brought about by the ‘Knives Cost Lives’ campaign which was a collaborative initiative between the BBC and West Midlands Police. 

‘Knives Cost lives’ has been running across the BBC breakfast show in the Midlands and a number of amnesty bins have also been placed across Birmingham and the Black Country in an effort to raise awareness over the rising concern of knife crime in the area. 

Birmingham Live: Ones to Watch in 2021

Read the full article for more on our plans for 2021 and beyond.

BBC Radio: Discussing Virtual_Decisions

'Ours is completely unique ... ours is filmed using real young people in an alleyway in Birmingham, it isn't a fantastical world, it is a world that young people recognise.'
Stuart Lane
Director, Round Midnight

One of our directors, Stuart Lane, discussed Virtual_Decisions on BBC Radio with Jeremy Vine for the segment on ‘Violent Crime’.  

Take a listen below:

UKTN: The Home of UK Tech

An article discussing the creation of LINK_UP: Remote PSHE Learning.

Channel 4: VR vs Gangs

VIRTUAL_DECISIONS was featured as part of a short Channel 4 News documentary “VR vs GANGS” (filmed by Reuben + Jamie Ltd). Pupils, teachers, youth workers and police were interviewed to see if this kind of VR experience can offer young people a safe-environment to explore subjects of peer pressure, violent behaviour and gang culture.

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