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Preston anti-knife campaigner Byron Highton is rallying communities to gather gifts for those most in need this Christmas.

Byron, 32, has spent the last two years creating a community by helping young people stay off the streets and teaching them the dangers of carrying weapons.

The JJ Effect Anti-Knife charity has grown to one of the biggest and most impactful campaigns in the UK. Now Byron, whose brother JonJo was murdered in 2014, is using the support network he has built up to provide presents for those families in need this festive season.

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Photo Neil Cross; Byron Highton has collected over £2000 worth of presents for children who are in need at Christmas

Byron said: "Instead of just being an anti-knife charity we want to be so much more so we are now raising awareness that children will be going without presents this Christmas, by getting the public to donate thousands of pounds worth of presents. We're going to give them out to families that we feel are in dire need of support this Christmas."

Byron spoke to the Post as part of our Spend Lancashire campaign encouraging our readers to support local businesses and boost the local economy this festive season.

Byron said: “I decided to do this as I saw my own bills going up, I have a full-time job, my partner has a full-time job and if people that are still working full-time hours are struggling imagine what people who don’t have the opportunity to work due to illness and other things are going through.

"The public support has been incredible as usual. I always say ‘don’t underestimate the power of the JJ Effect community’. I just pick up the presents, it's them who deserve the credit. As usual, they have been absolutely fantastic.”

The manager of the JJ Effect wants to make sure no family goes without presents this year and he says his idea has ‘taken off’ meaning he has future plans to make the ‘Child In Need’ scheme an annual occurrence. Families have already said to Byron his plans will ‘take a massive weight off’ of their shoulders..

If you’d like to support The JJ Effect’s Christmas appeal you can get in touch with Byron through the JJ Effect's social media platforms.

Anti Knife crime charity set up Christmas gift appeal receiving over £2000 worth of goodies