Community Safety

The Knife Angel in Worcester

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 1^st	-	ANGEL ARRIVES
Weds 2^nd	11am-12pm	Official launch
Thurs 3^rd	5.30pm	Prayers during Cathedral evening service
Fri 4^th	10am-5pm	Worcester Children’s First Get Safe
Sat 5^th	-	Open Public Access
Sun 6^th	-	Open Public Access
Mon 7^th	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 8^th	10am-5pm 10am-4pm	Platform Housing Group West Mercia Youth Justice Service
Weds 9^th	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 10^th	10am-5pm	Victim Support
Fri 11^th	10am-5pm In Cathedral	Worcester Community Trust – Domestic Abuse Working Network (DAWN) NHS CAMHS education workshop (Prebooked schools only)
Sat 12^th	-	Open Public Access
Sun 13^th	-	Open Public Access
Mon 14^th	10am-5pm 10am-4pm	West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre West Mercia Police - Knife Arch
Tues 15^th	10am-5pm 10am-5pm	Children’s Society – CLIMB Project West Mercia Youth Justice Service
Weds 16^th	10am-5pm 10am-4pm 12pm-4pm	Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe West Mercia Police - Knife Arch West Mercia Police - Community Safety Van
Thurs 17^th	10am-5pm 10am-4pm	West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre West Mercia Youth Justice Service
Fri 18^th	10am-5pm In Cathedral	West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre NHS CAMHS education workshop (Prebooked schools only)
Sat 19^th	12-4pm	YOUTH DAY Various Activities Music and live performance All young people are welcome
Sun 20^th	-	Open Public Access
Mon 21^st	10am-5pm 10am-4pm	YMCA AND National Citizenship Service West Mercia Police – Knife Arch
Tues 22^nd	10am-5pm	Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe
Weds 23^rd	10am-5pm	The Children’s Society – CLIMB Project
Thurs 24^th	10am-1pm 10am-4pm	Platform Housing Group West Mercia Police - Community Safety Van
Fri 25^th	10am-5pm In Cathedral	Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe NHS CAMHS education workshop (Prebooked schools only)
Sat 26^th	12pm-12.45pm	Memorial Service at Cathedral for victims lost due to knife crime, violence, and aggression
Sun 27^th	-	Open Public Access
Mon 28^th	10am-5pm	West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre
Tues 29^th	10am-5pm	Worcestershire Children First – Get Safe
Weds 30^th	6-6.15pm	Open Public Access Farewell to the Knife Angel - a gathering to remember lives lost nationwide to knife crime
Thurs 31^st	-	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.

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