Devastated families affected by knife crime shared the reality of losing a loved one to crowds of impressionable young people as part of an awareness event hosted by Nottinghamshire Police.
More than 200 young people and families attended the community initiative, known as IMPACT, at Edwards Lane Community Centre in Sherwood on July 20.
Byron Griffin, 22, from East Leake, died in hospital from a single stab wound in 2021 after he was attacked by four men in Derbyshire – who were all convicted of murder and jailed for life.
His mother, Zoe Cooke, who campaigns against knife crime and raises funds for life-saving bleed control kits to be installed around Nottingham in her son’s memory, spoke candidly and openly with the crowd about the impact of knife crime and its heartbreaking consequences.
She was joined by Chloe Castledine, whose brother Danny, also 22, was stabbed to death when travelling through the Netherlands in 2022.
The Castledine family, from Mansfield, chose to share their immeasurable loss earlier this year in support of the force’s Sceptre campaign – a national knife crime week of action.
Visitors enjoyed a wide range of activities including roller-skating, face painting and a meet and greet with ponies, in addition to live music, emergency service vehicles, activity stalls, and a raffle.
The event was organised by the youth outreach team as part of the force’s Prevention Hub, which is a collaboration between multiple force departments responsible for developing and delivering strategies to prevent crime and disorder throughout the city and county.
IMPACT also featured a speech from a former knife crime offender who had previously been jailed and suffered stab wounds. Since escaping that lifestyle and having turned his life around he shared his passion for skating and delivered the message that there are pathways out of offending available before it leads to tragedy.
Ultimately, the afternoon brought together 25 partner organisations, young people, inspirational guest speakers and the police to discuss the use of blades and the force’s county-wide work to educate people about, reduce, and prevent knife crime.
Chief Inspector Karl Thomas, Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime lead, said: “The decision to carry a knife often has catastrophic consequences. It can cause irreparable damage and end lives.
“It is vitally important that we engage with young people, educate them on the dangers of carrying blades, and equip them with the skills needed to make the right decision if they ever find themselves considering carrying or using a weapon.
“I would like to extend my thanks to the families and guest speakers who shared their stories with all of us – their input and support is invaluable.”
Romel Davis, Nottinghamshire Police’s youth outreach coordinator, said: “This was our third knife crime event and it was our best yet, with a wide variety of opportunities and activities.
“It was a real pleasure to be able to bring experiences to areas of the inner city that would not otherwise get that opportunity – the pony meet and greet was a massive hit.
“I would like to thank all of our partners who got involved to support this initiative as it is more important than ever that we proactively engage with young people and offer them the space to talk freely with us about knife crime.”
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