Chocolatier planning knife crime sculpture

7:44am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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A shocking rise in teenage gun and knife and crime on London's streets has prompted a wave or new ideas from politicians and youth workers on how to tackle the tragic epidemic.

But a Streatham Vale chocolatier wants to make a statement about the crisis on London's streets through the medium he knows best - chocolate.

Wayne Paul Gregory, who specialises in chocolate sculptures, says he wants to pitch ideas for pieces depicting the capital's teen violence problem to London Mayor Boris Johnson.

The 38-year-old explained: "Chocolate is something which has a strong association with childhood and happiness.

He added: "I think sculptures in chocolate would have a powerful effect to show just how young these child victims and those responsible are."

Mr Gregory, widely considered to be one of the top three chocolatiers in London, has ideas for two pieces - one of a chocolate baby playing with a gun, and a not-too-sweet image of a gun or knife victim lying in a pool of chocolate.

He said it was important to try and get through to young people in as many ways as possible, and chocolate would be a new and effective medium to use.

A spokeswoman for the mayor said there had been no official approach from Mr Gregory, although he had met a member of staff from city hall's community safety team at a function and discussed the idea of a chocolate bust of the mayor.

She did not say if Mr Johnson would be interested in the bust or the other chocolate sculptures.

This is not the first time that the world of celebrity and chocolate have melted together for Mr Gregory.

His last project was creating a chocolate painting of Nelson Mandela to celebrate the former South African leader's 90th birthday.

The 4ft by 3ft painting - made entirely from chocolate - is completely edible and has a shelf life of a year.

It took over 50 hours to create and has been auctioned to raise money for the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund.

Mr Gregory, a former pastry chef who turned to chocolate in 2002, has also been commisioned to make a full size chocolate guitar as a present for rocker Bon Jovi.

• To mark the launch of his online ordering service next month, Mr Gregory has offered Streatham Guardian readers the chance to win two boxes of his award-winning chocolates Pure Indulgence. To enter,call reporter Matt Watts on 0208 330 9538 or email mwatts@london.newsquest.co.uk with the answer to the question "How big is the chocolate painting of Nelson Mandela mentioned in the article?"