Sheffield bodybuilder helping Burngreave youngsters seeks help to prevent more murders

For the past three years, Trevor Chrouch, owner of Olympia Health and Fitness, has been helping to steer young people away from crime.

With a group of volunteers, he tries to get young people into education and employment, and gives them a hope for a better life.

During a 12-week programme, he aims to improve the youngsters’ mindset through offering a free gym membership, work experience, sports classes and organising meetings with motivational speakers.

His fitness centre on Rutland Road in Burngreave is just around the corner from where two men were killed earlier this month.

MORE: Burngreave murder investigation Sheffield: Devastated family pay tribute to 'caring and loving father'

Trevor said: “Two young people lost their lives. At the time one of them was shot, my mentee, was working out in my gym. He could have been involved in that, but I got him off the streets.

“I believe prevention is better than cure. I want to work with the youngsters because they are the future. Some of these people are very intelligent but nobody has given them a chance, nobody cares.”

Trevor said he can only offer his help to small groups and for a short time due to the lack of funding available. So far, he has been covering almost all the expenses out of his own pocket and claims his appeals for support have gone unnoticed.

He said: “I don’t see anyone coming forward and really helping. I talked to councillors and organisations, including Yorkshire Sport, they promised help, but nothing happened. A lot of empty promises, empty words.

“People like that come to the meeting, go out of the door and go back to their nice comfortable office while our young people are on the streets killing each other for drugs.”

In response, Yorkshire Sport said: “We first met Trevor at the end of February and provided him with some contacts who are best placed to support him.

“He was due to meet with another member of our team following that, but due to illness this meeting wasn’t able to take place. It will be rescheduled and we apologise to Trevor that this hasn’t happened yet.”

Trevor has explains that all he needs is a little recognition and a help.

He said funding is important, but even donating bits and pieces, sharing information about where to pick up a pool table or buy cheap tracksuits and volunteering would make a difference.

He added: “I’ve changed my life in the past and now I want to show people that no matter where you have been, you can turn your life around.

“Some of the people that I mentor are doing really well. One of them had a gun put to his head, moved out from his city because of a threat that he will get killed. He arrived in Sheffield with no money or plan.

“He has been coming to see how I work, and now says he wants to be a fitness instructor to make his mother proud and finish with the street life. But after 12 weeks he will be back on streets, putting the gun in his back pocket.”