A KNIFE amnesty is underway in Warwickshire as part of a national campaign to get blades off the streets – and use them to create a symbolic sculpture in memory of victims.
The national ‘save a life, surrender your knife’ campaign, which runs in Warwickshire until August 19, means anyone with a knife can surrender it anonymously at secure knife bins in police stations around the county.
All blades collected will be used to help create a 20-foot high ‘guardian angel’ sculpture in memory of those who have lost their lives to knife crime.
Superintendent Daryn Elton said: “Warwickshire does not have a big knife crime problem but each incident is one too many. We’re proud to play our part in supporting this national campaign and helping to make the country’s streets safer for everyone.
“Every knife taken off the streets is one less opportunity for another life to be needlessly ruined. Knife crime doesn’t just impact upon the lives of victims but also their families and the wider community; fear of crime increases and if people see others carrying knives they think they need to do the same and the number of people carrying knives increases further.”
The campaign is being run in partnership with the British Ironwork Centre in Shropshire, where the Knife Angel sculpture is being constructed from over 100,000 knives by artist Alfie Bradley. It is hoped the Angel will be erected in Trafalgar Square when completed.
Artist Alfie Bradley with the hands of the Knife Angel.
A spokesman said: “The Angel will be the UK’s greatest monument to anti-violence and aggression ever created. Working alongside the community and families who have tragically lost loved ones to knife crime, the Centre has been astounded by the support for the project.”
Visit www.britishironworkcentre.co.uk for more information on the project.
Knives and blades can be surrendered anonymously at police stations across the Warwickshire and West Mercia policing areas, including Rugby, Leamington and Stratford. Police will examine any weapons they suspect have been involved in a crime.
