Knife Angel about to embark on national tour after pandemic
The Knife Angel sculpture is about to go back on the road with a dozen town's and cities interested in hosting it over the coming year.
The anti knife crime work-of-art, made by sculptor, Alfie Bradley, has its home at the British Ironwork Centre near Oswestry.
Coronavirus lockdowns meant that the UK tour of the knife angel was abruptly halted at the beginning of 2020. It was standing in Southwater in Telford at the time.
But with restrictions slowly and surely being lifted the Ironwork Centre is preparing for the Knife Angel now to go back on its travels.
Hereford Cathedral will be the first venue with preparations for it to move to the neighbouring county later this month already underway.
Chairman of the centre, Clive Knowles, said he had been approached by official bodies in Durham, Blackburn, Northampton, Exeter, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Southampton, Stoke on Trent, Grimsby, Leicester, Chelmsford and Guildford.
The city council at Stoke-on-Trent was the latest to contact him.
A letter from Lorraine Beadmore said: "As the City Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Public Health, I believe this visually powerful memorial to the victims of knife crime and their loved ones will help to send a powerful message to residents and visitors to the City about our unified approach to address the escalating issues around knife crime in our community and throughout the UK.
"As Covid19 restrictions begin to ease, I would like to invite you to Stoke-on-Trent to provide an
opportunity for us to share our ideas about the siting the installation and our intentions for a wider
programme of supporting community engagement."
Mr Knowles said he was delighted that the tour break because of Covid-19 had not lessened the impact of the Knife Angel monument.
"We ask all those who agree to host the sculpture to also agree to a programme of anti-violence engagement with the community," he said.
"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."
