Knife Angel

WHERE IS THE KNIFE ANGEL GOING NEXT?

Due to the incredibly high volume of interested host locations and the fast pace of the Angel’s journey, we regularly update the National Anti-Violence UK Tour Schedule. If you can't see your town or city on this list, we recommend getting in touch with your local council or Police & Crime Commissioner's Office to find out whether or not plans have been put in place to host the monument.

The sculpture, made from over 100,000 seized blades, was specifically created to highlight the negative effects of violent behaviour whilst solidifying our critical need for social change. Not only does the Angel act as a catalyst for turning the tide on violent and aggressive behaviour, but it is also acts as a beautiful memorial designed to celebrate those lives who have been lost through these violent and thoughtless actions.

Learn all about how the project started and the journey we took in order to bring the Knife Angel to life with the support of all 43 UK Police Constabularies, knife crime charities and action groups, families of victims, and the community. Discover more about where the Angel has been on its National Anti-Violence Tour and the positive changes that it is making in every location that it visits. Explore the Knife Angel’s objectives and find out more about its message, intended impact and legacy.

Pledge your support for the Knife Angel by signing our petition to get it to London. You can support the official Knife Angel Campaign here.

Due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic, the Knife Angel is now situated back here at the Ironworks! It is available for public viewing (with social distance and safety measures in place) here at the Centre. The Angel’s National Anti-Violence tour is presently being re-planned and re-organised to resume once it is safe to do so.

Through its National Anti-Violence Tour, the Angel has visited a total of eleven towns and cities, spreading its anti-violence message, and standing up against all forms of violent and aggressive behaviours. For the tour to remain as successful as it has been thus far, it is imperative that the Angel can be viewed by as many members of the public as possible. As part of the Angel’s ‘Agreement of Conscience’, all host locations are also asked to deputise a minimum of 10,000 children and young people as Anti-Violence Champions through renouncing aggression as a means to solve disputes, issues, and disagreements. Of course, with the current restrictions in place across the country, none of this would be possible and host locations would be unable to gain the maximum benefit from the Angel’s visit there. As such, the Knife Angel will remain positioned at the Ironworks until normality resumes.

THE MAKING OF THE KNIFE ANGEL

Having watched a documentary surrounding knife crime and thereafter researching the huge increase in violence sweeping the UK in 2014, Clive Knowles felt as if the Ironworks could step forward and use its own resources to bring anti-violence to the forefront of society’s consciousness. Following this initial bid to address a national catastrophe, a lot of effort went into the sculpture before its creation even began, including having to approach the Home Office to request permission to make it. But, through the help of multiple knife amnesties and surrenders conducted by all 43 Police Constabularies in the UK, knife crime charities and action groups, families of victims, and the wider community, the Knife Angel was born. 

THE KNIFE ANGEL OBJECTIVES

Since the Knife Angel’s very conception, we have always had a singular objective in mind – to bring about social change. Fast forward a few years later and the Angel has achieved far more than we could ever have imagined, inviting a number of other objectives to join our ever-growing ambitions. The Knife Angel, also known as the National Monument Against Violence & Aggression, was always intended to educate children, young people and adults about the harmful effects that violent behaviour has on communities all across our nation. However, since its National Anti-Violence Tour across the UK began in December 2018, it has inspired a lot more than just education. 

FAMILY & CHARITY SUPPORT

Throughout this campaign, we have had a huge number of families and knife crime prevention charities support the Knife Angel and its objective to create social change and increase our national awareness of the effects of knife crime and violence. Each individual family and organisation have their own battle for change, but the Knife Angel and the ‘Save A Life, Surrender Your Knife’ Campaign unites them all. Without them and all of the brave and courageous work they do, we wouldn't be where we are today which is why we wanted to feature each of their stories here. 

THE KNIFE ANGEL: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

In December 2018, the Knife Angel began its official Anti-Violence Tour across the UK, beginning its journey stood outside of Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral. Since, the Angel has gained more traction and recognition than we ever could have imagined and, as such, we get tonnes of questions about the monument each and every day. We have compiled this list of your most frequently asked questions to help you gain better insight into what the Knife Angel is all about. 

HOSTING THE KNIFE ANGEL: FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

It is our aim for as many locations across the UK as possible to host the Knife Angel before the end of 2021. If you are a location looking to host the Angel in the near future but have some further questions before committing to bringing it to your community, we have compiled this list of our most frequently asked questions to help you to make your decision. Whether you want to find out more about your suitability as a location, potential costs, or any special requirements

NATIONAL KNIFE ANGEL PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION

Calling all photographers! Whether you’re classically trained or a complete photography novice, this competition has been specifically designed to allow everyone to get behind the lens and take some really creative shots of the Knife Angel as it journeys across the UK. If you’re someone who loves taking pictures and would like to take part in this competition, 

BECOME A "YOUTH ANTI-VIOLENCE CHAMPION" FOR THE UK

As part of our bid to create social change and end violent behaviour within our communities, we are asking all host locations to help us in deputising a minimum of 10,000 children and young people each to renounce violence. All ‘Anti-Violence Champions’ will receive a sticker badge and a specially designed certificate to thank them for their efforts in ending violence and standing up against using aggression as a means to solve any issues, disputes or difficulties. Every host location will receive a starter pack from ourselves containing everything they need to help regional youth become an ‘Anti-Violence Champion’. We hope that this initiative will further unite our young people and bring us that little bit closer to creating the social change necessary to fully turn the tide on violent and aggressive behaviour.

NATIONAL REMEMBRANCE RIBBON SCULPTURE

Inspired by the way that families of victims interact with the Knife Angel by tying messages of hope to its railings, we are now developing a whole new project dedicated to anti-violence. Designed to honour and immortalise victims of violence, the National Remembrance Ribbon will be an entirely collaborative project between ourselves and communities all across the country. It will become a very powerful reminder of the number of individuals that have fallen victim to senseless violence and will honour each and every individual who has tragically lost their lives through this avoidable pandemic that sweeps our nation. Additionally, the sculpture will highlight how much more the UK needs to do in order to the tide on this vicious and unnecessary behaviour. 

THE NATIONAL POLICE & COMMUNITY SUPPORT PROGRAMME

Through the success of the Knife Angel's National Anti-Violence Tour across the UK, we have developed the National Police & Community Support Programme, whereby all host locations and any other interested locations are offered the chance to collaborate with ourselves to create a number of heavily subsidised and permanent knife/gun banks for their town or city. All locations, whether they have hosted the Knife Angel or not, are eligible to take part in this programme. All we ask is that you make the commitment to utilise the money saved to create and conduct anti-violence educational programmes and workshops for your community youth. To find out more about getting your town or city involved, 

GETTING THE KNIFE ANGEL TO LONDON

Since the Knife Angel’s very conception, it has always been our intention for it to be displayed within our capital city of London. Particularly, we have always wanted it to be displayed on Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth, where we believe it would have the largest public impact. Throughout the years since the Angel’s creation first began, we have contacted London officials and groups innumerable times in an attempt to get the monument onto the fourth plinth. However, much of our correspondence has received no response at all, with the few responses we have had being completely averse to the idea. To give you an idea of all the work that has already gone into getting the Knife Angel to London