Byron Griffin: Mum's bleed kit appeal on anniversary of son's death

Byron Griffin was found injured in Ilkeston and died in hospital

The mother of a 22-year-old who died from a single stab wound is fundraising for potentially life-saving bleed kits to be installed in schools.

Byron Griffin was attacked in Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on 4 July 2021 and taken to Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham where he died.

Zoe Cooke has enlisted 18 schools to take part in the campaign on the anniversary of his death.

The kits can be used to stem the flow of catastrophic bleeding.

'An amazing lady'

Mrs Cooke said although the anniversary would be a difficult time for her family, she did not want her son's death to have been in vain.

"If another life is saved from his death, that's what is important to me," she said.

"There's nothing I can do to bring him back but I can stop other parents from losing their children."

Children at the schools taking part in the campaign - which includes Mr Griffin's former school in Rushcliffe - will wear red and donate money to support the purchase of a kit for the school.

Zoe Cooke said she wanted to do something proactive after the death of her son

Any additional funding raised will be used to buy bleed control cabinets around the city.

Four men were jailed for Mr Griffin's murder in February.

Since her son's death, Mrs Cooke has campaigned against knife crime and has raised thousands of pounds towards bleed control cabinets being placed around Nottingham.

She said she wanted to do something proactive after the death of her son.

"I know there is a stigma around knife crime, but the sad fact is it can happen anywhere, to anyone," she said.

"I would hate for a school not to be involved and then hear that something had happened within that school that could have been prevented."

She is working with the charity the Daniel Baird Foundation to provide the kits.

A charity spokesperson said: "We think it's wonderful that Zoe has found time to do this campaign.

"We know she is doing a lot of work in the East Midlands. She's an amazing lady."