Commissioner sees Knife Savers initiative in action

Lancashire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Clive Grunshaw, joined young people in Preston to see first-hand how over £10,000 of funding from his Violence Reduction Network is supporting life-saving knife injury training.

Around 25 young people took part in a Knife Savers session at the Foxton Centre, delivered by Emergency Department (ED) Navigators and the Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust medical team. The training used highly realistic prosthetic limbs and full-body models to help participants practise responding effectively to life-threatening injuries.

Knife Savers focuses on practical, hands-on learning, equipping young people with the confidence and skills to act quickly in emergency situations. The Commissioner’s latest investment funded 10 prosthetic limbs and three full-body models, further enhancing the realism and impact of the sessions.

Following the visit, Commissioner Clive Grunshaw said:

“It was great to see Knife Savers training in action, with such strong engagement from participants. Whilst police and partners are working tirelessly to prevent knife crime from occurring in the first place, we must ensure that as many people as possible are aware of how to react when faced with a knife incident.

“Knife crime has devastating consequences. One incident can have a ripple effect across entire communities. Knife Savers training helps tackle this impact by giving people practical, hands-on skills that could save lives.

“Tackling serious violent crime remains a key priority in my Police and Crime Plan, and I will continue to support initiatives like this through my Violence Reduction Network to make Lancashire safer.”

Chief Inspector Gemma Barr from Lancashire’s Violence Reduction Network said:

“At the Violence Reduction Network, we believe violence is preventable, not inevitable. However, when a knife is involved, it is vital that young people have the skills and confidence to respond and potentially save a life.

“This training not only equips them with lifesaving knowledge, but also highlights the stark reality of knife crime. There is no ‘safe place’ to be stabbed and no positive outcome from carrying a weapon.”