THE WORK of Redditch anti-knife crime campaigner Pete Martin has received a £10,000 boost from The Morrisons Foundation.
Pete has campaigned against the issue since witnessing his best friend being stabbed multiple times in 2011.
He visits schools and colleges across Redditch, Bromsgrove and North Worcestershire, educating young people about the dangers and consequences of knife crime.
At the end of November, he had reached the total of 50,000 young people since his Drop The Knife project had began.
Pete has been at the forefront of anti-knife crime campaigns in the town and has recently been installing bleed kits throughout the community.
The kits, endorsed by West Midland Ambulance Service, are used by the public in the case of a stabbing.
Following a meeting with Redditch Morrisons store manager Ben Smith, MP Chris Bloore collaborated with the foundation to secure the £10,000 donation.
The Morrisons Foundation supports registered charities which positively impact local communities across England, Scotland and Wales.
Pete said: “We are truly grateful to Chris Bloore for initiating this funding bid.
“It will make a massive difference to the services we deliver in the Redditch area over the next 12 months.
“Chris has supported our work long before he became our MP. We would also like to thank Morrisons for approving our bid and supporting young people this way.”
Mr Bloore said: “I would like to thank Ben, Bev and the Morrisons Foundation for their decision to support Pete’s vital work in the community.
“When I met with Ben, he immediately understood the critical importance of supporting Pete’s work with young people in schools and through one-on-one referrals, which are helping to keep our young people safe.
“This funding will help sustain Pete’s work as we continue to fight the dangers of knife crime.”
