Trade Centre Wales Supports Knife Crime Awareness

Wednesday 27th May 2026

As part of Knife Crime Awareness Week, Trade Centre Wales ambassador Gareth Thomas has been working alongside South Wales Police and local youth support teams to help educate young people across South Wales about the dangers and consequences of knife crime. The initiative forms part of the wider Trade Centre Wales community engagement programme, which aims to use positive community partnerships and sport to inspire, educate and support young people.

South Wales Police recently organised a large-scale rugby tournament involving 14 schools from across the region, bringing hundreds of young people together through sport. Ex Wales rugby international Gareth, known as “Alfie”, spent time with pupils from Pen Y Bont Youth School, supporting the event and engaging directly with the young players throughout the day.

After taking part in the rugby fixtures, each school team attended dedicated youth support sessions where they learned more about knife crime awareness, personal safety and the serious impact violent crime can have on individuals, families and communities.

The programme demonstrated how sport can create powerful connections with young people, helping them engage openly with important social issues in an environment where they feel comfortable, respected and inspired.

Sadly, knife crime continues to rise across many communities in the UK, making educational initiatives like these increasingly important in helping young people make positive choices and better understand the consequences of carrying weapons.

Founder and Director of Trade Centre Wales, Mark Bailey, praised the partnership work taking place across South Wales.

“This type of community work is incredibly important and something we are very proud to support at Trade Centre Wales. We’re grateful to South Wales Police and the youth support teams for allowing our ambassador Gareth Thomas to work alongside them on such a meaningful initiative. Alfie is hugely engaging with young people and commands enormous respect, which helps deliver these messages in a powerful and relatable way.”

Trade Centre Wales remains committed to supporting initiatives that make a positive difference in local communities and help create safer futures for young people across Wales