A foundation set up in memory of one of the teenagers murdered in South Bristol earlier this year has held its first big fundraising night.
The Max Dixon Foundation, a charity which aims to supply portable, glove-box sized bleed kits, was the guests of honour at a night of boxing organised by the Sartan Boxing Club at the Merchants Academy sports hall in Withywood.
The Foundation has been set up by Max’s mum Leanne and friend Carly Kingdon, who runs the community football club where Max captained the under-16s team, and aims to increase use and awareness of the mini-bleed kits.
The location of the event, which happened just hours after five people were found guilty for the murder of both Max, 16, and his best friend Mason Rist, 15, was deliberate too, given the background to the murders. It involved a club from Bishopsworth and boxers from Knowle and Hartcliffe joining together at Merchants in Withywood, bringing young people from across the South Bristol community together.
The foundation sponsored a young boxer called Lillie Hill, who was one of Max’s friends – she won her bout in front of a crowd of more than 200.
The event was put on by Eddie Langford and Ricky Leach from Sartan Boxing Club, and was a huge success, with Max’s mum Leanne thanking those who attended. More than £700 was raised for the foundation, which now has its own Facebook page, with the first glove-box sized bleed kits that have already been ordered on their way.
“It was an amazing night with lots of support,” said Carly. “Myself, Leanne, the family and all at Park Knowle FC are so, so proud to have finally been able to launch this. We are working with Reflex Medical on the kits. The aim is that the kits can save plenty of lives, not just knife crime but any heavy bleeding from accidents. People can carry these glove-box sized kits in their car along with a sticker to state there is a kit on board. The idea is to get taxi, coach and bus drivers on board too,” she added.
Read more: Mum of stabbed teen Max launches bleed kit foundation in his name
Read next: Family of murdered best friends thank Bristol community for support during ‘devastating’ time
Bristol Crown Court heard Max and Mason suffered fatal stab wounds in Ilminster Avenue in Knowle West back in January. Five people have been convicted for their murders. The only adult involved, Antony Snook, was jailed for life with a minimum sentence of 38 years late last month, and the four teenagers involved will be sentenced later this month.
The Max Dixon Foundation is not the only way Max’s name is being honoured in South Bristol. His football club Park Knowle FC created the Max Dixon Trophy to be awarded each year to the player who has been the most supportive and encouraging to his team-mates and best embodied Max’s spirit of sportsmanship.
Together For Change Aims
Set up a task force – We will develop a community-driven task force to meet and discuss the issue, how best to tackle it and how we can make a real difference with those in power.
Getting knives off the street – We will work with the campaigners to raise awareness of initiatives designed to get knives off the streets.
Social media – We will look at the Online Safety Bill and see if it goes far enough where it comes to harmful knife-related content on social media and how easy it is for children to see.
Raise awareness – We will work together to raise the awareness of how knife crime is linked to poverty, education, employment, social exclusion and the collapse in youth services
Lobby the government -We will cover the issue in the context of the General Election, using our findings from the taskforce and our reporting to lobby for change
Hold power to account – We will scrutinise and hold Avon and Somerset Police and Bristol City Council to account on their plans and models to make Bristol safer