About James Ross Hunter Youth Support
James Ross Hunter Youth Support is a non-profit organisation launched in July 2014 with a mission to encourage positive social values in young people and communities. We are based at TNG Youth and Community Centre, 111 Wells Park Road, Sydenham, London SE26 6AD.
All our activities are community and family-focussed, designed to nurture and promote positive values in our youth. Through community fundraising efforts and generous donations, we create visual awareness campaigns including our annual anti-knife crime poster competition, events, and educational projects.
Every pound raised goes directly back into our community. We run ongoing workshops in schools that promote mindfulness, respect, emotional wellbeing, and understanding of the serious consequences of carrying knives. Our yearly events bring together diverse organisations to tackle social isolation and share pathways for growth and support across all age groups.
Our Story
The organisation was founded in memory of James Ross Hunter, whose life was cut short bravely saving another from a gang attack. His drawing showing the time and manner this happened paved the way with vigour and strength from his mother to keep visual awareness and connectivities ongoing to sensitise families and the public of the consequences and support available, as this was not readily viewed on her arrival in the UK. Her knowledged gain after the loss of her son James was through her visual awareness campaigns and colloberative workshops with the lewisham police team.
In 2019, Five Years Later: Memoirs from a Mother's Diary (available on Amazon) was published and is used by Collet in her workshop deliveries on 'realistic optimism', along with the launch of her 'WFC' programme (Waking Moments, Following Through and Closures) through her lived experience of loss of her son to knife crime five years after moving from the Caribbean.
Our Impact
Nominated for the Lewisham Mayor Award, we are recognised for our dedication to community service and youth support. A report on serious violent acts, exploring what more can be done to reduce violence in the borough of Lewisham, was requested and submitted to Lewisham Council.
The "Daisy" pin serves as our symbol of victim awareness. The 'white' in the daisy pin represents our memories, 'yellow' for each sunrise and sunset, and 'green' was added to the flowers in 2024 for hope and prosperity for our precious generations.
On JRHYS' 10th anniversary, a visual awareness monument was unveiled, designed by founder Collet Hunter and created by Carl Gabriel. On the 10th anniversary of James Ross Hunter's passing, as part of Civil Society Consulting's initiative 32 Steps to Togetherness, JRHYS brought the conversation about trauma to the table, contributing to the passion of care for self and others. The event featured keynote speakers and Q&A sessions, where attendees heard from their experiences working in healing and with civil society. Alongside the conversations, there was a music therapy session and a 'healing market' which included stalls offering acupuncture, sound healing, and crystal healing, open to all.
Get Involved
Volunteers are always welcome to join us in making a caring difference in our communities. Throughout May, National Knife Crime Awareness Month, we run our awareness campaign including May Days Yellow Day to educate the public about the consequences of carrying knives and amplify the voices of victims. On 31st May at 11:00am, we observe a minute of silence in unity, and we invite schools and organisations to participate through creative sessions leading up to this day.