Pictured L to R are: Nadeen Alay, Fechi Kamalu, Madeleine Ruben, Mr Martin Griffiths, Laura Wallace, James Doyle, Miaya Harman.

Year 1 A Level Chemistry and IB students visited the Brighton and Sussex Medical School back in November to listen to a talk on ‘Cutting out Youth Violence’ by London lead consultant vascular/trauma surgeon, Mr Martin Griffiths. Mr Griffiths, who works at the Royal London Hospital has spent years touring schools to educate young people about the reality of knife crime and teaches undergraduate medical students at both Barts and Brighton University, as well as mentoring clinical students as a ward consultant at Barts Health and teaching on postgraduate courses at the Royal College of Surgeons.

Varndean student Fechi Kamalu said: “Mr Griffiths brought a current, real world issue that constantly circulates the media into an educational, engaging lecture that easily lead one to understand how working in a hospital can be more than trying to ‘save and discharge’ . Instead, he emphasised the idea of listening and keeping in communication with patients to prevent those vulnerable to falling into a destructive cycle and be re-emitted into hospitals with the same injuries. He left us all inspired and more aware of how important a community is to those we might not consciously remember.”