Stephensons, the national law firm, has donated £2,000 to a Manchester-based charity which provides support to young, disadvantaged people.
Partner and family law solicitor, Chris Fairhurst, joined James Gregory from Families Against Violence (FAV) to learn more about the charity’s work and to present the donation.
FAV works alongside the local authority and community leaders in the Moss Side area of Manchester, providing inspirational, educational and character-building activities to young people, as an alternative to gang culture and violence.
The group provides encouragement and guidance through its network of volunteers, helping young people create opportunities to better themselves and their community.
The charity was founded by James Gregory, whose son, Giuseppe, was shot dead in Stretford on May 11th 2009. FAV was launched three years later, in 2011, on what would have been Giuseppe’s 18th birthday.
James said: “The events following Giuseppe’s death, seven years ago, made me realise that there was so much that I – and other parents – didn’t know about their sons and their daughters, and that we all had a much bigger role to play in shaping their lives.
“When my son’s life ended, my own life and the life of the young man who committed the act were changed forever. Giuseppe was the last person to be shot in this area and my hope is that, through our work, we can prevent that devastating event from ever happening again.
“FAV is all about allowing young people do something positive rather than hanging around in gangs. We give them choices and help them build strengths which can help them to say no to gangs. We help them to see that they can build their own opportunities and that there is a future for people who have little money and little of anything else.
“I would like to thank Stephensons for this wonderful donation that will do so much to help continue and expand our vital work here in Moss Side.”
For more information about Families Against Violence, please call: 0161 868 0112 or visit fav-uk.org.uk.