Hello there, welcome to this week’s #PoCoLo - a relaxed, friendly linky which I co-host with Suzanne, where you can link any blog post published in the last week. We know you’ll find some great posts to read, and maybe some new-to-you blogs too, so do pop over and visit some of the posts linked, comment and share some of that love.
Please don’t link up posts which are older as they will be removed, and if you see older posts are linked then please don’t feel that it’s necessary to comment on those. If you were here last week it was great to have you along, if you’re new here we’re pleased you’ve joined us.
This week I’ve wanted to do much more gardening than I’ve been able to thanks to the weather - it’s been quite changeable here with more typical April showers weather, although there’s been some downpours too and I haven’t really wanted to take my chance with them. I’m hopeful I’ll get through the ever growing list of jobs - or at least start them, soon.
I’ve been meaning to pop into town to see the Knife Angel sculpture which is in our market square for a month, and this week I made it happen - along with lunch out, some errands and an eye test.
The sculpture was worth seeing, it is both shocking and moving. In 2014 the ‘Save a Life, Surrender Your Knife’ campaign was born by Clive Knowles, Chairman of the British Ironwork Centre in Shropshire. Struck by the large number of knife crimes reported in the media he set about finding a way to make a real difference by highlighting this national issue.
Speaking to families and communities affected by the horrific acts of violence, many of whom were already working tirelessly to help raise better awareness the Ironworks offered to fund and provide all knife banks with police constabularies across the UK holding an amnesty or surrender campaign to better educate their communities about knife crime.
Thousands of weapons were collected in these knife banks, they were cleaned and blunted and included in the Knife Angel sculpture. Some of the blades have messages engraved by families who experienced knife crime first hand, and these were placed strategically in the sculpture which is now known as the National Monument Against Violence and Aggression.
It took four years to make, involved all 43 Police Constabularies in the UK and standing over 20ft tall is built from over 100,000 blades removed from UK Streets. It’s purpose was to evoke emotion and raise better awareness and importantly make educational change everywhere it visits.
As I said it’s both shocking and moving - and also quite beautiful - I really hope it can be part of reducing knife crime, something that is truly needed.
Have a good week.
