On Tuesday we were visited by Dr Mark Prince OBE. The Kiyan Prince Foundation was established in 2008 in memory of Kiyan Prince, Dr Prince’s fifteen-year-old son and a talented footballer who was stabbed in the heart, whilst trying to break up a fight, outside his school gates. This devastating tragedy marked the beginning of a journey which has not only transformed Dr Prince’s life but also equipped him with the knowledge and skills to support families and help prevent similar cases. A significant part of the foundation’s work is to target school aged children and young people from primary through to secondary providing mentoring, life skills and training programmes. Being a professional boxer achieving titles such as the IBF and WBO Inter-continental Light-heavy weight Championship by (1997) and fighting for a world title in 1998, Dr Prince has invaluable skills and experiences that help in the development and transformation of young people’s lives for good.
The year 5 and 6 children who attended his talk were moved by Kiyan Prince’s tragic story. Dr Prince motivated and inspired them by explaining how unique and important their lives are. It is vital that we continue to openly discuss the dangers of knife crime with our children as they get ready to move to secondary school. Kiyan’s story made a lasting impact on the children which will help to keep them safe in the future.
