Youth Councillors both past and new attended alongside Youth Partnership Service representatives and partner agencies on impactful event to say farewell to Luton’s time with the Knife Angel.
The statue, fashioned from thousands of confiscated knives, was a towering presence in St George’s Square throughout August. Throughout the month numerous events linked to the Knife Angel’s visit ensured the voices of knife crime victims and their families were heard, while Bedfordshire Police staged Operation Sceptre, encouraging people to leave unwanted knives in amnesty bins, engaged with retailers and carried out weapon sweeps.
The closing ceremony for the Knife Angel started with a service in St Mary’s Church. Ribbons were then placed on the Tree of Hope outside the church and a candlelit procession then walked along the high street to St George’s Square.
Speakers form the council, local organisations, families of knife crime victims and local poets talked about the impact of the Knife Angel, not just in Luton but around the country. The event ended with some words of remembrance from Vicar of St Mary’s Church, Mike Jones.
The Knife Angel has now moved on to Havering, continuing the spread the message about the consequences of knife crime in all its forms.
