Knife crime is rarely out of the news, the aftermath of violence and aggression to its victims and their families is devastating. It’s an epidemic that has spread the length and breadth of the UK.
The Knife Angel (also known as the National Monument Against Violence and Aggression) has been created by The British Ironwork Centre and is a striking, contemporary sculpture that highlights the negative effects of violent behaviour, reinforcing a critical need for social change.
With the co-operation and assistance of 43 Police forces the Knife Angel took shape and is touring the country, being unveiled at different towns and cities.
Knife Angel stands at 27 feet tall and has been formed from 100,000 knives that have been collected from Police stations and knife banks across the UK. Every knife that has been used has been removed from its handle, disinfected and then blunted before being welded into the sculpture.
Families that had lost loved ones due to knife crime were invited to engrave a message on a blade that has been included in the statue. The response has been overwhelming – further reinforcing the sheer scale of knife crime in the UK.
The statue will be outside Barrow Town Hall until January 31st before making its way to Wrexham, so you have plenty of time to go and see it – and you should! It’s a monument that grabs your attention with its beauty whilst at the same time bringing the horrific issue of knife crime to the front of your mind.
