THE MOTHER of a teenager fatally stabbed at a house party in Colchester last year has spoken of the “amazing response” to her campaign to raise awareness about violent crime.

Caroline Shearer from Clacton remains deeply affected by the death of her 17-year-old son, Jay Whiston, who was murdered after he was stabbed in the stomach last September but she has drawn solace from the level of support people have given her.

Mrs Shearer, 46, set up the Only Cowards Carry initiative last November to raise awareness of the dangers of carrying a knife or any other dangerous weapon, and to campaign for weapon awareness education to be added to the school curriculum. She also wants to see tougher action taken against knife and weapon crime.

More than 20,000 signatures have already been collected on a petition while over 13,000 people have visited a dedicated Facebook page.

Mrs Shearer said: “It’s just gone mad, it’s been an amazing response. A number of schools in Clacton and Colchester have backed the campaign as has Police and Crime Commissioner, Nick Alston.

“I’ve even met gang members who have said they will stop carrying a knife because of the campaign.”

She added: “I don’t want this to be all about Jay. I want it to highlight the dangers facing all young people.”

Mrs Shearer said, ultimately, she would like to see education about knife crime to be as common place as sex education is in schools, and that attitudes to carrying a knife change just as attitudes to drink driving have altered over the past 20 years.

The latest initiative organised by Mrs Shearer is a march through Colchester planned for this Saturday between 11am and 12.30pm. The procession is due to be led by Harwich’s Royal British Legion Band, who will take marchers along the High Street to the war memorial outside Castle Park, where a they plan to play Amazing Grace before holding a minute’s silence.

Mrs Shearer said she has no idea how many people will turn out for the event, but simply hopes that it will “make a difference”.