JAMES’ story
At 10.20pm on Friday 23rd June 2017, James put his head around the lounge door to say that he was popping out to meet up with some friends in Aldridge. “Have fun Jim, take care.” were our last words to him.
At around midnight, we were woken by our daughter, Charlotte, bursting into our bedroom, screaming that James had been stabbed. We cannot begin to adequately describe our feelings of disbelief, absolute panic and horror, between our abrupt waking, hearing Charlotte’s words and arriving at the scene. As we drove into the village and saw the sea of blue flashing lights at the top of the High Street, our hearts dropped into our stomachs, nauseated by the scale of the incident in front of us, and the dreadful and overwhelming realisation that James’s life was hanging in the balance.
We were prevented from going to him, and instructed to stand at a distance, while the paramedics tried to save him, for what must have been nearly an hour, and which felt like an eternity; we were helpless and we desperately wanted him to know that we were there, so we called to him – “We love you James!”. We prayed for his life, hoping that the medics had the skill and that his fitness, strength and ‘zest for life’, would pull him through.
Eventually, we were told that he had died, and were escorted to his body, lying in his own blood, on the pavement where he fell, his chest opened up by the medics, to allow open heart surgery and direct heart massage. That horrific scene is permanently imprinted in our memories, and is repeatedly played back in our minds, as a waking nightmare. We live with the unbearable guilt, that we weren’t there at that dreadful moment to defend James, when he needed help; neither were we able to hold him in our arms and comfort him, as his life slipped away. We felt guilty at seeing the sun rise that next morning.
One life lived, many lives touched
James was a remarkable individual whose life was marked by a deep understanding of people and a contagious zest for life. Born on 17th March 1991, amidst a flurry of nervous doctors and a wise midwife who sensed his unique spirit, James seemed to possess an innate insight into the world around him. From the moment he was born, he radiated confidence and a lively personality that captivated everyone he met.
As a baby, James was bonny and bright, with a smile that could light up a room. His sense of humour and love for the limelight became evident early on, especially through his mischievous and hilarious antics.
Throughout his school years, James was not only a quick learner but also a natural entertainer, bringing humour and light-heartedness to those around him. His passion for skating was relentless; he dedicated himself to mastering the skill and even entered competitions, aspiring to be a professional. This pursuit of excellence reflected his perseverance and determination.
James’s talents extended into higher education, where he studied Graphic Design and Business Management, applying his skills diligently in real-world ventures. His entrepreneurial spirit shone through as he planned and launched his first business, demonstrating both his creativity and leadership. He was a natural at inspiring others, delegating with ease, and rallying support to help meet his ambitions.
As he matured, James’s strength of character grew quietly yet profoundly. His compassion for those less fortunate and his ability to forge genuine friendships across diverse communities exemplified his generous heart. His openness, kindness, and innate ability to make friends enriched not only his life but also everyone fortunate enough to know him.
James’s life was a beautiful testament to a person who lived fully, loved deeply, and left a lasting impact on those around him. His confidence, humour, resilience, and compassionate spirit continue to inspire and illuminate the memories of all who knew him.
Education for prevention
The James Brindley
Full Circle
Programme
The James Brindley ‘Full Circle’ Programme is a unique and accredited educational tool for children and young people and an assessment tool for practitioners, that takes an evidence based holistic approach to tackling the root causes of antisocial and offending behaviours, that can lead to serious youth violence.
Alongside education, it develops an individual’s consequential thinking, decision making and problem solving skills and actively promotes valid pro social activities that can lead to a social lifestyle and well informed decision making, in order to avoid involvement within the criminal justice system.
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Timeline
2018
On 2nd November 2018, the James Brindley Foundation is launched with an introduction to The Full Circle Programme. Supported by a number of stakeholders and covered extensively by the media including BBC Panorama and BBC Midlands Today.
2019
We kicked off the year with the launch of the Full Circle Programme at a secondary school in Birmingham and engaged with key stakeholders, including the Home Office and local MPs, to address this pressing issue. Our first fundraising Quiz Night raised over £3,000, followed by the unveiling of a weapon surrender bin in Walsall and our application for registered charity status. During the spring, friends of James honoured his memory by participating in marathons, while we initiated the impactful #lifeorknife campaign with West Midlands Police. Our visibility increased through various media interviews, culminating in the major fundraising Wolf Run event in September, which raised £22,000. We concluded the year by launching the West Midlands Violence Reduction Initiative and collaborating with the WMP Counter Terrorism Unit to enhance our Full Circle Programme, ensuring it addresses vital topics like Radicalisation and Extremism.
2020
The year 2020 marked a significant turning point for the James Brindley Foundation, beginning with the addition of the charity’s first full-time employee, a Training Manager, who joined the team in March. We received a vital funding grant from the West Midlands Violence Reduction Unit (WM VRU), ensuring the Full Circle Programme could be implemented in schools across the West Midlands Combined Authority. This milestone was celebrated when we achieved charitable status later that month, solidifying our commitment to our mission. Alongside these developments, we saw increased community support through fundraising initiatives, including contributions from the Lions Club, Tescos and successfully accredited new practitioners in our Full Circle Programme, further expanding our impact.
2021
The year 2021 presented unprecedented challenges for the charity as the COVID-19 pandemic forced us into lockdown, bringing our activities to a standstill. Despite these difficulties, we were able to continue our mission thanks to the incredible generosity of our supporters and the strength of our wonderful community. Their kindness and commitment during this trying time allowed us to adapt and persevere, reinforcing our resilience and dedication to combating serious youth violence.
2022
We had a fantastic 2022 filled with fundraising creativity and community support, from a huge charity football match and James’s Big Fish to another Wolf Run. A standout moment was when James’s friend Tom (GeoWizard) dribbled a ball across Britain to raise just over £11k going towards our charity. The year also saw many supporters attend the tattoo event to raise funds. We also launched our Safer Streets campaign, which included installing another JBF amnesty bin and introducing a way to anonymously report locations where people feel unsafe.
2023
In 2023 our momentum kept growing. Walsall College staged dance productions and Unity Productions ran “Long Road” to raise funds, and we hosted another highly successful charity football match. We gathered over 10,000 signatures advocating for knife crime education to be added to the curriculum and installed an additional JBF amnesty bin in the West Midlands. The foundation supported a young person to secure and release their debut single, and we helped bring the Knife Angel tour to Walsall in December. These activities strengthened our fundraising, campaigning and community-impact work.
2024
2024 was another exciting year for our organisation. In May, we welcomed our new Operations Manager, and by June, our (now) Training Manager and Mentor joined the team, bringing fresh energy and ideas. September was a big month for us with the launch of our official JBF offices, giving us a fantastic space to work and connect with the community. Towards the end of the year, some of our Trustees took on the incredible challenge of trekking to Mount Everest to raise money for our cause. Their adventure was not only a way to gather support but also to spread the word about the amazing work we do with young people.
2025-26
The year 2025 brought exciting developments for the James Brindley Foundation, beginning with the launch of our refreshed branding and website, enhancing our outreach efforts. Following such success of our knife crime awareness workshops, we introduced Urban Aid, an enhanced awareness workshop designed to engage and educate young people. Mark and Lottie actively contributed to the knife crime coalition team established by the Home Office, supporting various campaigns that have successfully contributed to reducing knife crime statistics. Our commitment to community outreach and reducing knife crime continued as we supported FazAmnesty in the West Midlands. Additionally, we launched our Youth Ambassador team, with new ambassadors set to join us soon, and welcomed our first Youth Worker, Ellease, leading to a significant increase in youth engagement. We also received generous donations from various community fundraisers, boosting our initiatives. In a festive spirit, our Trustee David debuted a Christmas song, which created attention on BBC WM’s Ed James breakfast show, and Nikki and Lottie ran a successful Christmas Tree disposal campaign, which we look forward to repeating in the coming year.
Meet Our Team
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Testimonials
“I’ve learnt what to avoid and new information on how to keep myself safe. I have a good understanding of what is good for me and what isn’t.”
Young Person - 2025
“I found sitting with Lee really helpful. He listened to everything I said, understood my problems, and helped me a lot.”
Young Person - 2024
“My sessions every week really help me to regulate my behaviour and improve my way of thinking.”
Young Person - 2023
“The course was engaging and made the training so much easier to digest”
Behavioural Intervention Lead
“Brilliant. I honestly dread training, but this course is super engaging. It’s great to have structured intervention and it was delivered in such a professional way.”
Designated Safeguarding Lead
“Really useful and practical. As a DSL & SEND strategic lead you can see the value of the course content when working with vulnerable students”
DSL & Send Lead
Fantastic, fun (where appropriate) and very informative. It was so easy for me to understand. As a DSL this information will be vital to me when dealing with issues in school.
