![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_Knifes-handed-in-to-Wirral-CP-Boxing-Club.jpg\")
A machete, a flick knife and two samurai swords handed into Lee Holmes (Image: Lee Holmes)<\/p>\nThe organisation is trying to tackle knife crime in a different wayA machete, a flick knife and two samurai swords handed into Lee Holmes (Image: Lee Holmes)<\/p>\n
On the evening of July 9, Lee Holmes was given a machete, a flick knife and two samurai swords. It\u2019s not what you\u2019d normally expect a 50-year-old to be doing in his spare time.<\/p>\n
But this forms part of Lee\u2019s role at Wirral<\/a> CP Boxing Club in Ellesmere Port<\/a>. Lee has been part of the club for 34 years, starting off as a schoolboy boxer before becoming a coach and later a trustee. Lee also runs the Gloves Not Gangs and KnockOut Violence initiatives at the gym.<\/p>\n In recent years, the boxing club has raised money to get life-saving bleed kits distributed across the town to those who need it, as well as offering an amnesty for people to hand in their weapons to the club. The weapons are then sent to a company which recycles them into sports equipment.<\/p>\n In a Facebook<\/a> post on a local group last week, Lee posted a picture of the weapons that had been handed in<\/a> and said: \u201cJust a couple of weeks ago, one of our gym members spoke to our Knockout Violence team, opening up about the realities of weapon addiction, life choices, and their serious repercussions.<\/p>\n \u201cSince then, I\u2019ve received calls from three individuals\u2014each asking to remain anonymous\u2014wanting to make a change. Tonight, I met with one of them. They came to see me and handed over a machete, a flick knife, and two samurai swords.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is more than just a handover\u2014this is a powerful message to our community. It shows that the KnockOut Violence Project and Gloves Not Gangs are having a real impact.\u201d<\/p>\n Lee told the ECHO<\/a> that this offers an alternative to people who are uncomfortable with handing in their weapons to a police station.<\/p>\n Lee said: \u201dWe try and put a post out at least once a week just so it’s in their face all the time. We didn’t want to start something up and then six months down the line say, ‘ah, forget that’.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s trying to give the kids sustainable sustainability. It’s showing people that what we’re doing is working. I know another guy that\u2019s bringing his knife in and he’s trying to turn his life around.\u201d<\/p>\n Lee believes what the club is doing can help steer people on the right path. He said: \u201cLet’s be realistic: the culture of knife crime at the minute is just getting worse because it’s a fashion thing with the kids.<\/p>\n \u201cMobile phones don’t help. Are we ever going to stop knife crime? No, not a chance. But we can certainly try and equip the town with life saving equipment and obviously try to educate the next generation that are coming through now about the choices they make.<\/p>\n \u201cOur gym has always been a strong force here in our community anyway. We’ve always produced champions as a club. We’ve won every title that you can win from amateur, right through to professional. We’ve got a two time world champion at our gym who is now a coach.<\/p>\n \u201cI think with what we’re doing now in regards to the gangs is reaching different people now. We’re seeing a different clientele coming in through the door – people who need a different type of help. People who are coming to speak to me don’t even tell their parents what they’re telling me. It\u2019s about having trust with the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n Gloves Not Gangs has been running for over a decade. Knockout Violence was set up last year after Lee\u2019s cousin, Lloyd Velasquez, was killed in Ellesmere Port on May 1 2024. Ben Ruddock, of Kendal Drive, Great Sutton, Ellesmere Port, was found guilty of manslaughter at a trial last year.<\/a><\/p>\n Danny Adams, founder of an organisation called Blades Down, tried to save Lloyd, who was a member of the gym. Lee said: \u201cDanny was crossing the road as it happened.<\/p>\n \u201cShe tried to do resuscitation, but unbeknown to her at the time, he’d been stuck through the heart several times.<\/p>\n \u201cMe and Danny started working together afterwards and I think we\u2019ve distributed 36 kits around the town now. We\u2019ve got an app up and running that shows people where they are. We\u2019re looking to put them in taxis as well.<\/p>\n \u201cOn a good day, it takes 12 minutes for an ambulance to get to Ellesmere Port. You can bleed out in four minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Jane](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/0_lee-Holmes-and-Peter-Phelan-at-Wirral-CP-Boxing-Club-Ellesmere-Port.jpg\")
Jane Holmes, Peter Phelan and Lee Holmes at Wirral CP Boxing Club(Image: Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n![\"Peter](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/1753024632_948_0_lee-Holmes-and-Peter-Phelan-at-Wirral-CP-Boxing-Club-Ellesmere-Port.jpg\")
Peter and Lee with a bleed control kit(Image: Liverpool Echo)<\/p>\n