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Community Safety

The Knife Angel in Worcester

Knife Angel

Cathedral Square: 1-31 March 2022

The Knife Angel is the National Monument Against Violence and Aggression, designed to recognise the problems caused in our society by these issues, especially knife crime. The monument stands at 27ft (8.2m) tall, weighing 3.5 tons, and is made from over 100,000 seized knives and weapons collected from all 43 Police Constabularies across the UK.

The artist Alfie Bradley, of the British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire, designed the Knife Angel to highlight the negative effects of violent behaviour and solidify our critical need for social change.

The Knife Angel is in Worcester’s Cathedral Square throughout March 2022 to act as a catalyst for turning the tide on violent and aggressive behaviour, and as a beautiful memorial for the countless lives lost to knife crime.

The Knife Angel has been on tour in towns and cities across the UK since 2018. Worcester City Council and West Mercia Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion have arranged for it to be displayed in the city, and Worcester Cathedral have kindly agreed to host a month-long programme of workshops for local schools in their new Undercroft Learning Centre, aimed at giving pupils a better understanding of the Knife Angel’s message.

The Knife Angel’s presence in Worcester is also supported by Ringway and NHS CAMHS (Child And Adolescent Mental Health Services). The City Council would like to thank Cathedral Square for providing a shop unit to use as the Knife Angel HQ.

Find out more about the Knife Angel and the work of the British Ironwork Centre.

Knife Amnesty

A month-long knife and weapons amnesty will be held alongside the display of the Knife Angel in Worcester.

It will be an opportunity to get rid of knives and other weapons with no questions asked, and no fear of reprisals.

An amnesty box will be available in Cathedral Square, next to the Angel. The amnesty box will be locked and protected by 24/7 security. It will be emptied at the end of the Angel’s time in the city, and the weapons will be safely disposed of.

Events programme

A marquee next to the Knife Angel in Cathedral Square will give the chance for visitors to find out more about the work of Worcester City Council’s Community Safety and Youth Intervention Team and other community organisations.

The full schedule runs as follows.

Date

Time

Organisation

Tues 1st

 -

ANGEL ARRIVES

Weds 2nd

11am-12pm

Official launch

Thurs 3rd

5.30pm

Prayers during Cathedral evening service

Fri 4th

10am-5pm

Worcester Children’s First Get Safe

Sat 5th

 -

Open Public Access

Sun 6th

 -

Open Public Access

Mon 7th

10am-1pm

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

Wyre Forest and South Worcestershire Nightstop and Mediation Service

Worcester Children First - Get Safe

West Mercia Police – Knife Arch

Tues 8th

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

Platform Housing Group

West Mercia Youth Justice Service

Weds 9th

10am-1pm

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

Wyre Forest and South Worcestershire Nightstop and Mediation Service

Children’s Society – CLIMB Project

West Mercia Police – Knife Arch

Thurs 10th

10am-5pm

Victim Support

Fri 11th

10am-5pm

In Cathedral

Worcester Community Trust – Domestic Abuse Working Network (DAWN)

NHS CAMHS education workshop (Prebooked schools only)

Sat 12th

 -

Open Public Access

Sun 13th

 -

Open Public Access

Mon 14th

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre

West Mercia Police - Knife Arch

Tues 15th

10am-5pm

10am-5pm

Children’s Society – CLIMB Project

West Mercia Youth Justice Service

Weds 16th

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

12pm-4pm

Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe

West Mercia Police - Knife Arch

West Mercia Police - Community Safety Van

Thurs 17th

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre 

West Mercia Youth Justice Service

Fri 18th

10am-5pm

In Cathedral

West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre

NHS CAMHS education workshop (Prebooked schools only)

Sat 19th

12-4pm

YOUTH DAY

Various Activities

Music and live performance

All young people are welcome

Sun 20th

 -

Open Public Access

Mon 21st

10am-5pm

10am-4pm

YMCA AND National Citizenship Service

West Mercia Police – Knife Arch

Tues 22nd

10am-5pm

Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe

Weds 23rd

10am-5pm

The Children’s Society – CLIMB Project

Thurs 24th

10am-1pm

10am-4pm

Platform Housing Group

West Mercia Police - Community Safety Van

Fri 25th

10am-5pm

In Cathedral

Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe

NHS CAMHS education workshop (Prebooked schools only)

Sat 26th

12pm-12.45pm

Memorial Service at Cathedral for victims lost due to knife crime, violence, and aggression

Sun 27th

 -

Open Public Access

Mon 28th

10am-5pm

West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre

Tues 29th

10am-5pm

Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe

Weds 30th

 

6-6.15pm

Open Public Access

Farewell to the Knife Angel - a gathering to remember lives lost nationwide to knife crime 

Thurs 31st

 -

Angel leaves Worcester

 

Youth Day – Saturday 19 March, noon - 4pm

The Youth Day will be packed with activities to help young people, families and passers-by engage with the issues of knife crime, violence and aggression.

Take part in an interactive virtual reality experience on the theme of knife crime with The Round Midnight Virtual Reality Education Company.

Try your hand at first aid to deal with a knife injury, or drug and alcohol intoxication, with the NHS on hand to help you.

Have a go at archery and enjoy the giant Jenga with hidden questions relating to knife crime within the games.

Share a musical performance by local knife crime and mental health campaigner Kate Dowdeswell.

Enjoy urban and pop sounds with a local DJ throughout the afternoon.

Community Safety in Worcester

Worcester City Council’s Community Safety and Youth Intervention Team have helped bring the Knife Angel to Worcester. They coordinate projects to reduce crime and disorder in south Worcestershire and work with partners to respond to specific problems affecting a neighbourhood such as anti-social behaviour.

Find out more about the work of the Community Safety and Youth Intervention Team.