Pubs in Romford have been given emergency bleed kits to help stabbing victims after Havering recorded the highest increase in knife crime in east London.

The Take A Knife, Save A Life (TAKSAL) campaign dished out “bleed kits” in response to the statistics, reported last month by the Romford Recorder. 

Metropolitan Police data showed that knife crime in the borough had risen by 28% year-on-year.  

“It kind of gave me a kick up the backside to do something about it,” said Stephen Gower, TAKSAL’s founder. 

He formed the group after 17-year-old Jodie Chesney was murdered in Harold Hill in 2019. 

TAKSAL volunteers patrolled public areas to act as a “visual deterrent” and offer support and advice to young people. 

Mr Gower told the Recorder last month that since the Covid-19 pandemic, those patrols had been diminished. 

But in light of last month’s Met Police figures, he has ramped up another part of the group’s work. 

“Although we can’t be there to prevent every stabbing, it’s important to make sure that stabbed people can be tended to as soon as possible. It could save their life,” he said. 

TAKSAL had already distributed 30 bleed kits – which Mr Gower described as “military grade” first aid kits containing “everything you need to stop a bleed” - around the borough. 

By Christmas, he said, there will be 50.  

The emergency services will be told the location of each kit, so members of the public dialling 999 can be directed to the nearest one in the event of a stabbing or other serious injury. 

Among the recent recipients are Collier Row’s Aspen Tree and Bell & Gate pubs, and Harold Wood’s Alderman pub – which was itself the scene of a stabbing in 2014. 

“Pubs are open late,” said Mr Gower. “The later the business is open, the better it is. 

“It’s no good if a stabbing happens at 8pm and the bleed kit is in a shop that closed at 5pm.

“We are stepping up our campaign and hopefully next year we will be able to make a dent in those statistics and maybe save someone’s life.” 

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