Andrew Groom knows the consequences of carrying a knife after spending five years in jail, but is now creating a community which warns of the dangers of carrying a knife.
He formed Weapons Down Wirral CIC in July 2024, but since then he has made a huge impact in spreading the message of not carrying weapons.
Groom admits that he had no role models when he was growing up, and carried a knife out of fear, but has since become a qualified boxing coach and personal trainer.
The 48-year-old has hosted one talk at the Kings Trust and works with the probation service in teaching individuals about the ripple effect of knife and gun crime.
Groom talks about the experiences he went through and the damaging impact it can have on families and the wider community, and mentors people through boxing.
The impact has been massive as Weapons Down Wirral work in collaboration with youth offending teams, probation service, drug and alcohol service, police, local council and mental health services.
Groom said: “We’ve got sessions for people recovering from alcohol and drug abuse. We’ve got four sessions a week but the mentoring sessions at the moment are basically just what we do through boxing, helping people.
“Boxing plays a huge role in keeping kids off the streets as it’s a sport which can teach valuable life skills.
“Boxing teaches discipline, and it can make a difference by giving people the confidence, getting them to talk to positive role models, interacting with other people like minded people. I’ve never seen trouble in a boxing club.”
Weapons Down Wirral classes consist of workshops where they hope to have an impact on people’s wellbeing, and on their mental health by teaching people the positive choices they make will have a better impact on them.
They host regular free classes for people recovering from alcohol and drugs, people on probation. Youth offenders teams have been booked in the next couple of months, with care leaders also booked in.
These workshops can transform lives and with the experiences that Groom went through it can show the devastating impact that being involved in crime can have.
The most important message that Groom has is for everyone to have a purpose as that will help people to be on the right pathway and to have an end goal which can be achieved.
He said: “I had no dream as a kid but I believe that everyone needs a purpose.
“That’s the most important thing for anything whether you’re getting off alcohol and drugs and want to change your life.
“Without a purpose you’ve got no focus. So, the biggest thing for me is finding a purpose and something to focus on.
“I’ve been in some horrendous situations. I feel like, if we can have something to make that small change and I keep reiterating it’s not going to change everyone. That’s the goal for me.
“It isn’t going to change the world, but what it can do is to make a small change to individuals who want to change. It’s not going to get people of the street and coming in and saying you want to stop carrying knifes, but it’s the small changes.”
