A bodybuilder who couldn’t believe what he was hearing when his daughter called to say there’d been a stabbing at her school is putting together a fundraising weekend in the hope of reducing knife crime in Sheffield.

Trevor Chrouch has been running Olympia Gym on Rutland Road for around three years now, and in that time has noticed an increase in the amount of violent crimes - especially those involving knives - in the community.

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For the past year he’s been doing his part to help stop the problem, organising after school sessions that see 150 youngsters attend the gym for physical training and general life advice.

The work is supported by the gym’s charity, Olympia Wellbeing Academy.

Trevor hopes the regular activities help keep kids off the streets, while also giving them a chance to learn social skills that they can carry with them throughout the rest of their lives.

While he admits that the work is ‘not easy at all’, as he works with kids between the ages of 11 and 16 who’ve been involved in things like dealing drugs, the matter only hit home when he got a call from his daughter in February.

Members at the Olympia Gym unite against knife crime. | Dean Atkins

placeholder image — Members at the Olympia Gym unite against knife crime. | Dean Atkins

She was calling to let him know that a fellow pupil, Harvey Willgoose, at All Saints Catholic High School, had been stabbed on the school’s premises.

“I said that she’s got to be messing about, how does that happen in a school,” Trevor told The Star.

“But it was true. That’s when I thought it’s getting too close to home.”

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Since the incident which shocked the nation, Trevor’s been in touch with Harvey’s parents Caroline and Mark, who have been campaigning for knife arches to be installed in schools.

They want a type of walk-through metal detector in all schools, to avoid tragedies like the one that took their son’s life from ever happening again.

It’s with their help that Trevor has been able to organise the anti-knife weekend on August 16 and 17, which will raise awareness, provide a variety of sporting activities including bodybuilding and martial arts, and raise funds.

Emergency services have also been invited, and Trevor hopes to give a platform to multiple speakers - including Caroline - who can talk about the dangers knives pose.

“I want to raise enough money to get knife arches put in schools,” he added.

“From that weekend I hope we at least get enough to pay for one to be put in All Saints.

“But it’s not just one school, eventually we want to help get these in all schools.

“This event is more than a showcase of strength and fitness - it is a powerful tribute to Harvey, a young life tragically lost to knife crime.

“In his memory, we are raising funds for his family and supporting Olympia Wellbeing Academy, a charity dedicated to tackling anti-social behavior and knife crime through the power of sport and mentorship. “

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