Fearless in Wales launches knife crime campaign for young people 2026

Key Points

• Crimestoppers’ youth service, Fearless, has recently rolled out its first-ever knife crime awareness campaign in Wales.
• The campaign has been launched in collaboration with Charlie’s Promise, the charity established by Martin and Tara Cosser following the death of their son, Charlie Cosser.
• The new film recounts the tragic life of Charlie Cosser, who died at age 17 after being fatally stabbed at a party in Warnham, West Sussex, in July 2023.
• As part of the campaign, young people have been encouraged to pass on information regarding knife carrying anonymously via Fearless.
• As per Crimestoppers, Fearless enables individuals to report crimes anonymously, either via 100 percent anonymous online channels or by making a phone call to 0800 555 111.
• According to National YouGov research commissioned by Crimestoppers and Fearless, around 31% of 16 to 25-year-olds would be very likely to pass on information to the police regarding anyone carrying a knife when such actions could lead to serious injury or death.
• The same study found that the percentage jumped to 51% when a reporting mechanism for young people was introduced where they could make an anonymous complaint.

Wales (Wales Times) October 2026 – Fearless in Wales has launched a new knife crime awareness campaign aimed at encouraging young people to report concerns about people carrying knives without revealing their identity.

The campaign is being run by Fearless, the youth service of independent charity Crimestoppers, in partnership with Charlie’s Promise. It centres on a new film about Charlie Cosser, a 17-year-old who was fatally stabbed at a party in Warnham, West Sussex, in July 2023.

As reported by Crimestoppers, the campaign is described as the charity’s “biggest-ever awareness campaign” on knife crime. It aims to empower young people to use their voice for change and to highlight anonymous reporting as a safe route to share information before violence escalates.

What does the new Fearless campaign involve?

The campaign showcases a film telling Charlie’s story through the voices of his parents, Martin and Tara Cosser, and some of his closest friends. According to Crimestoppers, the film highlights the devastating impact of knife crime and the potential importance of sharing information before someone is harmed.

As reported by Joshua Askew of the BBC, Martin Cosser said young people often fear telling parents about concerns involving knives because they do not want to worry them. He said some also worry that teachers may find out, while others do not trust the police.

“They need another lifeline – and this life is Fearless,” Cosser told the BBC.

Fearless says it provides young people with information about crime, personal safety and the law, alongside an anonymous route to pass on information about criminal activity. The service can be contacted through Fearless.org, while Crimestoppers can also be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Why is Charlie Cosser’s story central to the campaign?

Charlie Cosser was stabbed three times in the chest at a party in Warnham in July 2023. As reported by John Ryall of ITV News Meridian, Charlie was a talented young footballer who had hoped to become a groundsman at Chelsea.

ITV News Meridian reported that Charlie was caught up in a fight after another boy was asked to leave the gathering following a complaint from a girl.

Martin Cosser told ITV News Meridian: “Charlie’s death has left a hole in our family that can never be filled. No parent should have to experience the pain of losing their child to knife crime.”

He added that some young people may know someone is carrying a knife but feel frightened, uncertain or worried about what could happen if they speak up. He said they do not have to give their name or put themselves at risk.

“Even a small piece of information could prevent another young person from being hurt and another family from suffering the heartbreak we live with every day,” Cosser said.

What research supports the campaign?

Crimestoppers and Fearless commissioned national YouGov research to support the campaign. As reported by ITV News Meridian, the research found that 31% of 16 to 25-year-olds said they would be very likely to share information with police if they knew somebody was carrying a knife and believed it could lead to serious injury or death. Among adults, the figure was 45%.

The research also found that 23% of young people said uncertainty about whether their information was significant enough could stop them speaking to police. A further 16% said not knowing how to give information could prevent them from doing so.

According to the research findings reported by ITV News Meridian, the proportion of young people willing to report rose from 31% to 51% when an anonymous route was offered, such as contacting Fearless or Crimestoppers.

Fearless manager Jack Frohlick told ITV News Meridian that the film follows the story of Charlie Cosser on the night he was stabbed. He said Fearless worked with Martin and Tara Cosser and Charlie’s Promise, the charity they established to tell Charlie’s story.

“The film highlights that, if someone had reported that they had seen a knife in the days before, there was a chance that Charlie would still be with us today,” Frohlick said.

He added: “Really, we’re trying to raise awareness through Fearless.org that we can limit this happening to other families.”

How does the campaign relate to Wales?

Fearless has previously delivered knife-crime education sessions in schools and colleges in Gwent as part of the national Sceptre week of action. As reported by Nation.Cymru, those sessions were intended to empower young people to speak up about crime anonymously.

Nation.Cymru reported that police forces across Wales took part in Sceptre, a biannual week of action targeting knife crime, from 18 to 24 May. The initiative included weapon surrender opportunities at police counters and education work with communities, schools and young people.

The new Fearless campaign adds to that prevention-focused approach by encouraging young people in Wales to report concerns before violence occurs. Crimestoppers says its reporting service is independent of the police and allows information to be passed on anonymously.

What has Charlie’s Promise said?

Charlie’s Promise says it has partnered with Fearless to launch its biggest-ever awareness campaign. The charity says the film tells Charlie’s story and aims to empower young people to use their voice for change.

The charity states that the campaign highlights anonymous reporting as a safe way to share information about crime before violence escalates.

Martin Cosser has campaigned against knife crime since Charlie’s death. As reported by the BBC, he has given talks to more than 100,000 children since 2023 and has previously called for children as young as nine to be taught about the dangers of carrying knives.

“Young people do want to do the right thing – they just don’t know how,” Cosser told the BBC.

Background of the development

Charlie Cosser was killed in July 2023 at a party in Warnham, West Sussex. His parents, Martin and Tara Cosser, later established Charlie’s Promise, a charity working to prevent knife crime.

Fearless is Crimestoppers’ dedicated youth service. It provides information for young people about crime, personal safety and the law, and enables anonymous reporting through its website.

The campaign follows wider knife-crime prevention activity across Wales, including the Sceptre week of action, which brought together police forces, schools and community organisations. In Gwent, Fearless has previously run education sessions encouraging young people to report crime anonymously.

Prediction: how this development can affect young people in Wales

The campaign is likely to increase awareness among young people in Wales that concerns about knife carrying can be reported without giving their name. If the campaign reaches schools, colleges and community settings, it may make more young people aware of Fearless as an alternative to speaking directly to parents, teachers or police.

The reported research suggests anonymity could be particularly important: the proportion of young people saying they would be very likely to report information rose from 31% to 51% when an anonymous option was available. For young people in Wales, this could mean greater willingness to share early information about weapon carrying, potentially enabling earlier intervention by relevant services.

For parents, teachers and youth workers, the campaign may provide a practical starting point for conversations about knife crime, personal safety and reporting concerns. For community safety partners, it may reinforce existing prevention work by directing young people towards an anonymous reporting route before situations escalate.