'I was lost' says mum helping knife crime victims

"I was lost, I couldn't do anything," Tatiana Qureshi says, her voice beginning to break as she recalls how the past year of her life has felt.

The grief-stricken mother from Berkshire fights back tears as she talks about the loss of her son Temur.

He was 19 years old when he was stabbed to death in Slough in September 2023.

Ms Qureshi said she felt like she had lost herself after Temur died, and said she still has "days when I don't want to open the curtains".

Speaking to BBC Radio Berkshire she said she has now found much needed support in a group of mothers who are campaigning to end knife crime.

Mothers Together was partly founded by Julie Siddiqui, who said meeting Ms Qureshi has made her feel like she has "a friend for life and a sister".

She said: "In many ways I wish we hadn't met in this way but I think she has been very brave about wanting to be involved and speaking up."

Ms Qureshi said meeting the group has inspired her to "help kids and parents" who have gone through similar experiences to her.

"I know exactly how they feel," she said.

Remembering how her son's life was heading in the wrong direction, she said more needed to be done to support young people in a way that was free from judgement.

"That is the worst part, when you really want to change" and "there is literally no-one to help you," she said.

Adding that she felt her and Temur were labelled "bad mother" and "bad son" and she does not want this to happen to others.

"We have to stand up and work together as parents, kids, schools and local authority," she said.

Mothers Together will lead a Walk Against Knife Crime from Harvey Park in Slough at noon on Saturday.

They will march to Langley Memorial Park for a community action day, which will include speeches from local groups and stalls from Thames Valley Police.

"You never quite know the impact it has on everyone," Ms Siddiqui said, as she looks ahead to the event

"The point of it is to make the noise and wear the T-shirts and make people aware... I think it will be powerful in its own way."

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