Teenagers have been learning about the devastating impact a fatal stabbing has on families and how to act if one of their friends is attacked with a knife.

Students learned about the tragic murder of 18-year-old Connor Brown four years ago in Sunderland through a moving and powerful session with his mam Tanya.

They then took part in a fun but informative session with first aid trainer Ian Abbiss, from Consett, who taught life-saving skills including how to stem bleeding using a makeshift tourniquet.

The Newcastle College sessions came about because Tanya Brown and Pauline Bartley, from St John Ambulance, are both members of The Northern Echo’s North East Knife Crime Taskforce, which was formed in May this year.

The Northern Echo: Oli Moore learns how to stem the bleeding on a stab wound to the leg Oli Moore learns how to stem the bleeding on a stab wound to the leg (Image: Gavin Havery)Oli Moore, 16, from Brunswick, who is studying for a BTEC in Sports and Exercise Science, said fears over knife crime were now common among teenagers.

He said: “These sessions have been really interesting and really useful, especially with how likely knife crime is. It is definitely a worry.

“It is something that you think about and you are wary of people that look a little bit dodgy.

“This has helped us think about what we can do and how we could help someone survive an attack.”

The Northern Echo: Dylan Welsh perfects his CPR technique on a dummy during the session at Newcastle CollegeDylan Welsh perfects his CPR technique on a dummy during the session at Newcastle College (Image: Gavin Havery)Dylan Welch, 16, from Walker, who is on the same course, said some young people find themselves carrying knives as a result of peer pressure.

He said: “The thing is you just don’t know if someone is carrying a knife.

“It is affecting a lot of young lives. It is important to know what to do because it could make a difference between saving someone’s life or not.

“What Tanya said was quite deep and really hit home. It is important that people do hear these stories so they know the consequences.”

Tanya, who set up the Connor Brown Trust in her son’s memory, gives talks in schools to show that knife crime can affect anyone.

As part of her hard-hitting sessions Tanya shares upsetting details about Connor’s injuries and how he died.

The Northern Echo: Connor Brown died in Sunderland in 2019Connor Brown died in Sunderland in 2019 (Image: Contributor)She said: "Connor wasn’t involved in gangs or anti-social behaviour.

“He was generally one of life’s good guys. His passion was sport. He loved life and was a real people person. He died trying to break up a fight.” 

The North East Knife Crime Taskforce, a public forum to discuss ways to tackle the issue, was set up as part of The Northern Echo’s ongoing anti-knife crime campaign and was Highly Commended by judges at the Society of Editors’ Media Freedom Awards recently.

Tanya said: “Pauline and I met through the taskforce sessions which we find very beneficial and these workshops prove it really.

“We aim to educate students and make them realise that carrying a knife, using any weapon and committing crimes is never worth the price that is paid.

“My sessions are impactful and show the effect knife crime has on everyone and then to follow up with what you can do about if it happens makes people think about it a lot more.”  

Pauline has used her taskforce connections to build on the St John Ambulance Young Responders programme and is also now working with organisations she is in touch with as part of a multi-faceted approach to tackling knife crime across the region.

The newspaper campaign was launched in the aftermath of the shocking deaths of 18-year-old Jack Woodley from Newton Aycliffe in 2021, as well as 14-year-old Gordon Gault and Tomasz Oleszak on Tyneside last year.

The Northern Echo: Newcastle College students practising their life-saving skills Newcastle College students practising their life-saving skills (Image: Contributor)Pauline said: “It is through the work of The Northern Echo’s taskforce that Tanya and I have had the opportunity to meet.

“Through sitting in the meetings and hearing about what Tanya does I saw there was a connection there where we could support each other because we are both trying to help young people.

“We want to give young people the support and confidence to feel safe in their communities.” 

Before taking part in Young Responders workshops just seven per cent of students say they would feel confident in helping someone in need of first aid but this jumps to 94 per cent following the sessions. 

Recommended reading:

Get the latest news, sports, and entertainment delivered straight to your device with a subscription to The Northern Echo. Click here 

The Northern Echo: Ian Abbiss shows Ella Harrison how to put Abbie Bickerton into the recovery position as part of the street first aid session Ian Abbiss shows Ella Harrison how to put Abbie Bickerton into the recovery position as part of the street first aid session (Image: Gavin Havery)Jon Ridley, deputy principal of Newcastle College said: “Recent tragic events in our region have shown knife crime is a growing issue, particularly for young people.

“We know our students will benefit from these open conversations and learn vital hands on first aid from Young Responders.

“We hope these skills will never be needed, but we want to make sure our students are equipped with the knowledge to know what to do in an emergency.” 

Our graph below shows how knife crime has risen across the North East in recent years