News / knife crime
Murdered Max’s mum Leanne meets minister for schools
The mum of murdered Bristol teenager Max Dixon was among a group of campaigners who travelled to Westminster to meet with the minister for schools.
Leanne Ekland and fellow campaigner Carly Kingdon met Damien Hinds accompanied by the Conservative MP candidate for Bristol South, Liz Brennan.
The group met with Hinds in the House of Commons as part of the effort to introduce bleed kit-training and lessons highlighting the tragic consequences of carrying knives onto the National Curriculum.
Sixteen-year-old Max Dixon and his best friend Mason Rist, 15, were fatally stabbed in Knowle West in January.
Leanne, who lives in Knowle West,started a petition which currently has almost 3,300 signatures to make bleed kit training compulsory in secondary schools.
She said: “Going to Westminster was an amazing experience and it really felt we were being heard.
“When I met the minister, he listened to what we said very carefully and thanked us for coming and speaking to him.
“Now we need the whole country to listen and see just how important this sort of training and awareness is – for everybody.
“This is personal to me and I know speaking out can make this important campaign even stronger.
“If we could create positive change when it comes to knives in society that could keep Max’s memory alive for all the right reasons, forever.”
A plea to stop knife crime at Max Dixon’s and Mason Rist’s memorial in Knowle West – photo: Mia Vines Booth
Hinds added: “Thank you to the organisers of this important petition for meeting with me on this subject.
“Schools can tailor their teaching to suit the issues that their pupils face, including focusing on knife crime as part of the ‘criminal exploitation’ parts of the relationships, sex and health curriculum.
“The compulsory RSHE (relationships, sex and health education) curriculum already includes a range of relevant content, including first aid and seeking support from the emergency services.
“Nothing is more important than the safety of children.”
Together for Change is a citywide campaign against knife crime in Bristol
Main photo: Conservative Party
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