Teen florist praised for buying community bleed kits
BBCA 16-year-old florist has been praised for using tips and donations to buy five bleed control kits for the local community.
Bobby-Ray from Yardley, Birmingham, decided to raise money for the life-saving equipment after his friends had knives pulled on them.
Since he started his business, Bobby's Flowers, in March, customers have travelled more than 40 miles (64km) to purchase flowers and help fund the kits, which cost £112 each.
"I'm helping the community and showing people you can be good, there's no point in being bad," he said.
Bobby-Ray said he was grateful for everyone who had visited the shop outside his mum's former cafe in Yardley, especially as he only started it a short time ago.
Since he began his fundraiser, Bobby-Ray said violence had affected his family and friends for a second time after his cousin was stabbed.
West Midlands Police said that it was investigating after the man in his 20s was injured on Lower Trinity Street shortly after 23:00 BST on Sunday.
The force said his injury was caused by a bottle and not thought to be life-threatening.
"I feel so lucky that I still have a cousin, I can't get my head around it all," Bobby-Ray said, adding it had reaffirmed his commitment to the cause.
"I wanted to do it because there's so many stabbings going on and I don't understand why."
His mum Jodie said she was so proud of Bobby-Ray and hoped that his work would inspire other businesses to raise money for bleed control kits.
"It's lovely, it's a nice thing to do and you never know if you're going to be in that situation yourself to need a kit," she said.
Jodie added that a customer came from Leicester to visit Bobby-Ray which was "so lovely and really boosted" him.
The 16-year-old opened his second shop in Hall Green at the weekend and hopes to continue raising more money.
"Knowing we are potentially saving lives will keep me going and going," he said.
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