AN ESTABLISHED Cleveland charity has been granted £25,000 in Serious Violence Funding by Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Cleveland Steve Turner.
The Chris Cave Foundation (CCF) was granted the cash to help fund its work in the community.
CCF funds work to prevent young people from becoming involved in violent and knife crime.
It also works with victims and their families to help them recover from the impact of violent incidents. It encourages them to tell their stories in the hope that greater awareness about the after-effects of violence will deter more people from becoming involved.
CCF was set up in 2005 in memory of Theresa’s son Chris Cave, who was stabbed to death in 2003 in Cleveland.
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 funding will allow CCF to increase the number of referrals and the support, which it provides to young people.
It will be able to expand its work in Redcar and Cleveland to other areas in particular hot spots such as Billingham, Thornaby, Stockton and Hartlepool.
Currently, the charity works with more than 450 families, who have lost loved ones. It hopes to expand those numbers as a result of funding.
The charity works with families around parole appeals, impact statements and trauma counselling.
PCC for Cleveland Steve Turner said: “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.”
Point 7 training programme
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.
The ripple effects show the impact of violence on not only the victim but also their families, the perpetrators and wider communities.
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 delivers an annual serious violence youth conference for young people. In addition, it offers activities such as art, sport, music and training around independent living. They provide positive alternatives to becoming involved in serious and violent crime.
Ultimately, CCF aims to expand into bigger premises. CCF wants to offer specialist trauma counselling to children affected by violent crime. It also wants to offer “open circle” sessions for siblings, where young people affected by knife crime can help each other to heal.
Bigger premises would also allow CCF to create more activities based on demand from local, young people. They are likely to include the creation of small recording studios on site. Bigger premises would also allow mentors to work with young people.