A march held on May 14 for the murder of a teenage boy has highlighted the need for education on knives and guns.

In 2004, Anton Hyman, 17, was shot, beaten, stabbed and thrown into the River Brent – his case has never been solved.

Anton’s mother, Vanessa Hyman, has since been fighting for justice and for a better education on these issues.

“People need to be educated that these things are going on,” she said.

“Everyday has been a learning process for me. We can’t all know what is going on but these things need to be learnt and spoken about in order to make us aware.”

The feedback from the march has been extremely positive and Vanessa said it had been described in two ways.

“It has been seen as a good healing process. A lot of confessions were made and people spoke very openly and honestly.

“On the other hand people have told me they were glad they had taken time out of their day to come along as it was very informative and educational as well as moving.”

Hundreds were in attendance, including many young people who went to a conference and six workshops held at the Priory Centre, Acton, where the march finished.

The workshops consisted of parenting classes, victim support, youth forums, Real Talk with ex-offenders, Gangs Line and discussions with vicars.

Touching on recent events, such as the stabbing of a 14-year-old boy in Hammersmith and the sweep by police in Copley Close, Ealing, Vanessa highlighted how important it is for parents to speak to their children, through “Time to Tell”.

“You can’t be too tired to speak to your children. Taking just ten minutes out of your day to talk and have no problems asking your child where they are going and who they are going with.

“Love is blind and with Anton I began questioning myself: did I love him that much that I was blind to this? I trusted him and obviously never expected something like this to happen. I should have asked him more of these questions; I think it is very important”, she said.

Talks have taken place this week between Vanessa and police on how to develop this campaign and new initiatives against youth violence, such as her project ‘A Mother’s Teardrops’.

Discussions of knife amnesties, school visits and kitted out busses called Boom Busters to give young people something to do in the evenings, will be on the agenda.

Vanessa is determined to continue with the workshops and thinks properly organised school visits with police and people who have been involved in or affected by violent crime are key to a proper education on these issues.

The march was a great success and Vanessa said: “I feel lifted coming away from it all. I am chuffed to bits and glad it went well.

“I was so pleased and overwhelmed – the support has been brilliant.”