Our mission is to help create a fairer, more compassionate society by breaking the cycle of violent crime.
The Josh Hanson Trust was set up in 2016 by Tracey Hanson. The previous year, her son Josh had been killed in an unprovoked fatal knife attack. The impact of this trauma upon Tracey, her daughter Brooke, their wider family, their friends, and the local community – was deep and profound. As is the impact on society of every act of violence.
The public services to support Tracey and her family through: the initial police investigation; the campaign for justice; the eventual trial of Josh’s killer; were at best inadequate, At their worst, they were non-existent or actually increased the trauma of Tracey and her family.
As a result of the profound trauma of losing her child in such a violent and untimely way, Tracey has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and lives with the impact of this daily.
To help improve the experiences of other victims of violent crime, the Josh Hanson Trust provides a range of trauma-informed support services for victims, borne of lived. And to help reduce violent crime in the future, the trust has a widespread education programme in schools and with young people in the criminal justice system.
Guided by compassion, expertise and lived- experience, the Josh Hanson Trust offers children, young people and their families the opportunities and support they need to connect, understand, and cope with the long-term impact of crime and trauma.
