WARRINGTON Wolves Foundation is distributing lifesaving knife crime packs across the town thanks to funding from Police and Crime Commissioner David Keane.
The Foundation has received funding from the commissioner’s Safer Communities Fund to place knife crime bleed packs in nine sports or community centres across the town.
The £1,000 grant will pay for the essential bleed packs – designed to stop bleeding in various parts of the body. The funding will also be used to raise awareness of knife crime among young sports players and their families using the facilities.
First aid training and knife crime awareness will be provided to each club by PCSOs and players from Warrington Wolves. The funding comes after players from the Wolves joined the Warrington local police team on knife sweeps in local parks.
Speaking about the funding on a recent visit to the Halliwell Jones Stadium to see how the packs work, Mr Keane said: “This is part of our plan to tackle knife crime in its early stages, within the heart of the community.
“Thankfully, Warrington doesn’t have a huge problem with knife crime, but in other nearby areas outside of Cheshire it’s a growing problem.
“When people carry knives it is only a matter of time before someone suffers life-changing injuries or is killed. If you carry a knife, you are much more likely to be involved in an incident.
“By introducing knife crime packs at a number of Warrington sports sites, we are making young people, as well as members of the whole community, aware of the threat of knife crime and giving them the tools to try and combat if there is a knife attack in their community.
“A person can bleed to death in just five minutes if they are stabbed in the wrong place. Having packs situated in public places and available where big groups of people meet will give potential victims the best chance of recovering from a knife-related incident.”
The knife crime bleed packs will be available at – The Halliwell Jones Stadium, Monks Sports Club, Hood Lane Recreation Club, Station House Public House, Daten Sports Club, Burtonwood Community Centre, Victoria Park, Cheshire Cheese Public House, and a location to be confirmed near Bank Quay. However, these venues could be subject to change depending on where the packs are needed.
Neil Kelly, director of the Warrington Wolves Charitable Foundation, said: “We’re really grateful to the commissioner for this funding to help tackle knife crime in our communities.
“Warrington Wolves Foundation is committed to ensuring young people have the opportunity to get involved in physical activity which will keep them out of trouble and stop them turning to a life of crime.
“The growing issue of knife crime among young people is worrying so it’s important we talk to them about the dangers of carrying a knife and provide them with the necessary tools to help potential victims.”
