A CLACTON charity is set to spread its anti-weapons message after clinching the support of a community scheme.

Only Cowards Carry was started by Caroline Shearer after he son Jay Whiston was murdered in 2012.

Since then the charity has grown as campaigners work tirelessly in schools and communities around Essex in a bid to get knives off the streets.

It is now set to expand into London after becoming one of the chosen charities for bookmaking giant William Hill’s Close To Home community support scheme.

Funding from the scheme will allow Only Cowards Carry to provide weapon education workshops in London schools.

It will also fund knife amnesty bins in Barnet – like the bins secured for Clacton last year which have been successful in seeing hundreds of blades handed in.

Only Cowards Carry campaigner Toni Knights said: “We are delighted. The new partnership will enable us to branch further into London and surrounding areas to deliver the accredited, no frills, honest educational workshops on weapons awareness, gangs and bullying to all communities and young people.

“The partnership will also see the installation of knife amnesty bins starting in the Barnet area to encourage the safe surrender of knives for the safety of the whole community.

“Only Cowards Carry is extremely thankful to William Hill for the support. Together we can help create safer communities.”