Charlie’s story: Fearless launches national knife crime campaign

Fearless has partnered with fellow-charity Charlie’s Promise to launch its biggest-ever awareness campaign. Our new film tells Charlie’s story and aims to empower young people to use their voice for change, highlighting anonymous reporting as a safe route to share information about crime before violence escalates.

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Charlie Cosser, from Surrey, was just 17 when he was fatally stabbed in West Sussex in 2023. His parents, Martin and Tara Cosser, are now sharing Charlie’s story as part of a campaign urging young people who know someone is carrying a knife to share information, 100% anonymously, that could prevent knife crime, and save another family from experiencing the same devastating loss.

Martin and Tara set up a charity after Charlie’s tragic death called Charlie’s Promise, which is dedicated to helping the fight against the rising issue of knife crime in Surrey and across the UK – tap or click here to find out more.

Watch our new film, ‘Charlie’s story’:



Martin Cosser, Charlie’s father, said:

“Charlie’s death has left a hole in our family that can never be filled. No parent should have to experience the pain of losing their child to knife crime.

“There may be young people who know someone is carrying a knife but feel frightened, uncertain or worried about what will happen if they speak up. I want them to understand that they do not have to give their name or put themselves at risk.

“Even a small piece of information could prevent another young person from being hurt and another family from suffering the heartbreak we live with every day.”

Martin and Tara were also recently appointed as Fearless Ambassadors.

Our Fearless campaign is using Charlie’s story to help young people recognise the potentially life-saving importance of sharing information about knife crime.

Here at Fearless.org, we give young people aged 11 to 25 a completely anonymous way to speak up, either by phone or online, right here on our website; a chance to take action, use their voice and help keep their community safe.

We’re completely independent of the police and we never ask for a person’s name, contact information or any details that could identify them. We can’t trace phone calls or online reports, and information submitted through Fearless.org is passed on without revealing who provided it.

Do you have information about knife crime, or any other crime? You can tell us what you know and you’ll be 100% anonymous – and that’s guaranteed.

Give information anonymously, here on our website

Preparing for this campaign, we at Crimestoppers and Fearless have commissioned new national YouGov research revealing that:

  • Just 31% of 16 to 25-year-olds say they would be very likely to share information with the police if they knew somebody was carrying a knife and believed it could lead to someone being seriously injured or killed. 
  • For adults, this rises to 45%.
  • Young people across the UK are also less likely to recognise when their information could be important. 23% say uncertainty about whether their information is significant enough might stop them speaking to the police.
  • 16% of young people say not knowing how to give their information could prevent them from sharing information.
  • But anonymity could make a significant difference. While 31% of young people say they would be very likely to report information about knife crime directly to the police, this rises to 51% when they are offered an anonymous way to speak up – like giving information to Fearless and Crimestoppers.

Our campaign is aiming to close that awareness gap and reassure young people that, with Fearless, they have a safe way to act on what they know.

26 August 2026