A Swindon community group are continuing their push to raise awareness of the dangers of carrying weapons.

Owen’s World was set up by family and friends of 18-year-old Owen Dunn, who was the victim of a fatal stabbing in the Haydon End area on December 4 2022.

The charity has been visiting New College this week to speak to students as part of a week-long nationwide crackdown on knife crime.

Jo Davis, a family friend and founder of Owen’s World, said: “We have been focussed on educating more and more people, and have branched out to new areas including schools in Newbury.

“It can be harder to get through to older students sometimes as they are not as open to talk, but that is why it is good for us to visit.

“We have been speaking to children all over Wiltshire, Portsmouth and Croydon in London, and our private paramedic is visiting Tamworth later this month.”

The foundation offers first aid programmes that teach people how to deal with major bleeds that don’t necessarily come from stab wounds.

Sessions currently run once a month with bookable private sessions also available, with the next essential training class taking place on November 23 at the Community Room in the Ocotal Way Tesco.

Alongside their regular fundraisers, you can support the foundation this weekend as they raise awareness in the town centre.

Jo says: “We will be in The Brunel all day on Saturday alongside the serious crimes unit, handing out flyers and looking to speak to as many members of the public as possible.”

A knife amnesty bin was fitted to the John Moulton Hall Community Centre in the Penhill estate where Owen grew up in July thanks to the group’s campaigning, which encourages people to dispose of their knives “without fear of prosecution.”

13 bleed kits have also been installed across the town, designed to provide specialised first aid to manage severe bleeding.

The government outlawed the possession and sale of zombie-style knives and machetes in September to reduce the number of dangerous weapons on the street.

Two teenagers, Tyler Hunt and an unnamed child were sentenced for Owen's murder after being found guilty by a jury.

Hunt, 18 at the time, was sentenced to a minimum of 19 years in prison, while the 15-year-old received a minimum of 12 years.  

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