Inverness Caledonian Thistle supports Charlie’s Promise with stadium banner to raise knife crime awareness after a tragic loss.
Charlie Cosser died at 17 in a knife attack. He was attacked in the south of England. Charlie went to a house party in July 2023. He was stabbed many times, made it to the hospital where multiple surgeries could not save him, and died three days later.
His dad, Martin, made a promise: He’d raise awareness about knife crime. He wanted people to know the damage it causes; it hurts victims, family, and friends. That promise led to campaigning. Martin spoke to many students and shared his grief honestly on social media. Charlie’s Promise won an award for this work.
The charity is based south of the border. It works across the UK. Martin drove the North Coast 500 recently, his car bearing a photo of Charlie. He stopped at the Caledonian Stadium.
The car is part of Charlie’s Promise’s trip, their Scottish trip ending this weekend. Martin said it helps keep Charlie’s memory alive. His friends helped with the car. They thought it would be good to take the charity north as Martin says knife crime is out of control and growing in the UK.
Martin believes it can happen to anyone. Society needs to understand why people use knives. Charlie barely went to parties; he enjoyed playing football. Charlie was in Brentford’s academy. He visited Caley Thistle. Martin talked about Charlie, and everyone was very kind.
They learned more about Charlie’s story and invited Martin to a game next year, where head coach Scott Kellacher was empathetic. Martin will never tire of talking about Charlie. The club was moved by Martin’s story. They will put up an anti-knife crime banner inside the stadium for free, football being so important to Charlie.
He wanted to be a groundsman at Chelsea. Sharing his story at the stadium has impact. It is almost 600 miles away, and Charlie’s Promise can reach many people. The charity shared the story. It happened at the stadium on Thursday. Videos of this visit got many views online. The Highlands trip honored Charlie’s memory.
Martin gets messages from people worldwide. They say his videos make them cry, which he thinks is good. Knife crime is not nice; kids need to know that, he said. People must not accept knife crime as normal. The North Coast 500 trip helps Martin cope. He finds it hard to be at home, and being away lets him breathe.
He thinks Scotland is beautiful. It makes him think about what Charlie misses; he almost feels closer in the serene landscape. People in Scotland are very hospitable. They stop and show interest. They take a card to follow the charity. Martin wants to see change happen and has clear goals for the future.
He has met with government officials. He wants knife crime education in schools, for kids at around nine. He has talked to many young children. They are inquisitive and easily influenced. These talks are unforgettable for Martin. He tells them about Fearless, a reporting org, and the kids then learn about Charlie.
They watch a short film about him; it’s very powerful. The kids feel like they know Charlie. Martin wants to keep Charlie close to him. Education is central to the charity. They want to invest in youth and plan to open youth hubs. He plans to visit Scotland again hoping to give talks in schools.