Ironwork centre to create new monument against violence from weapons haul
Hordes of knives seized or handed in to police are set to be turned into another major anti-violence sculpture by the centre famous for the creation of the Knife Angel.
The British Ironwork Centre in Oswestry is developing a plan for the blades, and is creating conceptual ideas for its latest visual challenge to knife crime and violence.
The weapons were collected across the West Mercia Police area.
Prior to lockdown the centre's Knife Angel has been touring the country, with town's and cities hosting it as part of a campaign against violent crime.
Clive Knowles, chairman of the British Ironwork Centre, said the latest delivery would be used to develop something that "strongly depicts our nation’s complete rejection of all violent acts."
He said: "Today has seen another shocking and very large delivery of blades and mixed weapons arriving with the Ironworks from safe police storage facilities in Worcestershire.
"The delivery, which arrived via waste contractors BIFFA, featured a skip filled to the brim with blades, swords, and other such weapons removed from public spaces throughout the West Mercia area.
"Most of the weapons were in bio-hazard tubes following analysis and the completion of investigative police processing.
"These weapons are to be used for a future project to further enable and support the West Mercia Police (WMP) in educating Mercia’s youth over the importance of rejecting violence and finding non-violent solutions for resolving arguments and disputes.
"Drawings and conceptual ideas will be drawn up by the Ironworks and will be presented to police leaders along with the Mercia Police & Crime Commissioner, John Campion."
Mr Knowles said they had held discussions with Telford & Wrekin Council over the potential for an anti-violence monument for the borough.
He said: "Following their hosting of the Knife Angel prior to the lockdown, Telford have already expressed interest in having an art installation using weapons from Mercia and more specifically from the Telford & Wrekin area.
"This installation would not only represent the Angel’s anti-violence legacy but would also act as a continuous point of tuition to educate the region’s youth about the negative effects of violence in all of its many forms."
He added: "This latest haul, is concrete evidence of how West Mercia Police are proactively policing our counties and succeeding in removing weapons from the public both from seizing them and encouraging the public to hand them in voluntarily, both efforts working in tandem successfully.
"As things return to a more normal state, it is important that violent and aggressive behaviour within our nations communities isn’t neglected. Instead, it is critically important that everyone’s efforts to reduce violence are revitalised and that the nation continues to illustrate a united front over its intolerance to all forms of violent behaviour.
"Whatever we do with this latest delivery of blades from West Mercia Police, it will always illustrate turning something awful into something beautiful and will strongly depict our nation’s complete rejection of all violent acts.”
Mr Knowles said that the Knife Angel would also continue its tour of the UK, with more than 20 locations interested in hosting the giant sculpture.
He said: “Obviously, we are hoping to relaunch and restart our national anti-violence campaign to see the nation create 100,000 Anti-Violence Youth Champions as the Knife Angel travels from city to city right across the UK.
"Presently, there are over 20 different host cities and towns deep in conversation with us wanting to host, even throughout the months of disruption from the pandemic."
