FRIENDS and family gathered to launch a new campaign attempting to removes knives from Swindon's streets in honour of stabbing victim Owen Dunn.
The Swindon teen, 18, was stabbed to death in December last year and two young people have now been arrested and charged for his murder.
After he was killed, a Community Interest Company (CIC) called Owen's World was founded by members of his family and family friend Joanne Gonzalez.
They hope that Owen's World will help ensure that something positive comes from his loss, which they say "has ripped their heart out", by raising awareness of the growing problem of knife crime and providing young people with a safe space to hang out.
Already, they have started the Owen's Shed initiative which involves taking unwanted sheds and putting them in the gardens of families with teenagers to give them a space of their own.
But the CIC, with aspirations of becoming an official charity, was officially launched on March 17, with a big event at the Moonrakers pub.
The pub's entertainment space was fully decked out for the gala event that included song and dance performances and a raffle, decorated with balloons chair dressings and lit-up letters spelling out 'OW 18 Forever'.
Everything for the event had been donated by local businesses and organisations, meaning that all money fundraised could go straight towards the cause itself.
During the evening, Joanne and Owen's aunt Lauren Page gave speeches, and the family all gathered on stage to present Joanne with flowers and gift for all of her hard work.
Owen's mother Zoe Mitchell said to her: "You've done so much for us and we appreciate it. I told you the other day, I flipping love you."
Lauren added: "Without Jo, Owen's World would've never even got started or ever been possible. She’s put in her blood, sweat and tears, she works a full-time job, she’s got a family, and she’s kept us going, as a family, Owen’s World has put our minds into something, our energy into something, to do everything for Owen.”
Hundreds of people attended to support the cause and celebrate Owen's life, helping to raise a further £1,000.
Joanne Gonzalez said: "It was an absolutely brilliant night and went better than we all expected. We had some brilliant teams come together to make it all possible and we planned it in less than a month.
"I’m absolutely honoured to have started this and to have such amazing people behind me. Owen, I hope you're smiling!"
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