A REGIONAL knife crime charity has received a £25,000 boost to help expand its vital community work.
The Chris Cave Foundation (CCF) works to prevent young people from becoming involved in violent and knife crime, and was awarded the funding by Cleveland Police and Crime Commissioner Steve Turner.
Chris Cave was stabbed to death in Redcar in June 2003, and since then, his mother, Theresa, has fought tirelessly to deter young people from carrying a knife or a gun or committing violent crime.
The funding will allow CCF to increase its number of referrals and expand its work from Redcar and Cleveland to other hot spot areas such as Billingham, Thornaby, Stockton and Hartlepool.
The charity works with more than 450 families across the country, who have lost loved ones, around parole appeals, impact statements and trauma counselling.
Read more: Redcar mum's 'disgust' at prison sentences for knife reoffenders
Theresa said: “My son was a totally innocent victim of knife crime. My experience of suffering and loss as Chris’ mother has motivated myself and my family to set up the Foundation.
“It aims to educate and support young people aged 12 to 18 years old to ensure that they do not become involved in serious violence and knife/weapons crime either as victims or as perpetrators.”
The primary focus of CCF’s preventative work is the Point 7 training programme for young people.
Point 7 shows the dangers, consequences and ripple effects caused by violent incidents. It also provides information about knife, gun, gang, cyber bullying and County Lines.
Read more: Mother's knife crime warning 18 years on from son's murder
Point 7 educates young people on how to save a life at the scene of an incident and deliver CPR until an ambulance arrives. It also delivers stab packs to locations, where they are likely to be used to save lives.
CCF aims to expand and grow into bigger premises, meaning it will be able to offer specialist trauma counselling to children affected by violent crime and offer “open circle” sessions for siblings, where young people affected by knife crime can help each other to heal.
PCC for Cleveland Steve Turner added: “CCF is doing vital work in the community to prevent young people from becoming involved in knife crime and in supporting victims and their families.”
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