Page 10 - City Life Magazine - Spring 2022

10 Issue 58 • March 2022

COMMUNITY LIFE

The Angel brings a message

of hope to Worcester

The Knife Angel, a stunning 27ft sculpture made
from 100,000 blades surrendered in the 2015/2016
nationwide amnesties, will watch over Worcester City
Centre this month. The sculpture was installed on
Cathedral Square in the early hours of 1 March and will
be here until the end of the month.

Created by sculptor Alfie Bradley and The British
Ironwork Centre in Oswestry, Shropshire, it has been
on a tour of towns and cities throughout Britain
to raise awareness of the negative effects of knife
crime, violent behaviour and all forms of aggression.
Worcester is the nineteenth location on the sculpture’s
National Youth Anti-Violence Education Tour and the
visit has been organised by the City Council, with
Worcester Cathedral kindly agreeing to host a four-
week programme of workshops for local schools
to give pupils a better understanding of the Knife
Angel’s message.

The Cathedral’s Director of Learning and Community
Involvement, Daniel Parnell, says, “We are delighted to
be able to host the learning and engagement sessions
for young people visiting the Knife Angel in our newly
redeveloped Undercroft Learning Centre at the Cathedral.”

WORKING TOGETHER
Whilst the Knife Angel is here, Worcester City Council
will work not just with the Cathedral, but also the
West Mercia Police, the West Mercia Police and
Crime Commissioner, and the South Worcestershire
Community Safety Partnership to make the most of the
Angel’s presence and message.

The City Council’s Community Safety and Youth
Intervention Team will be busy this month. As well as
there being a marquee next to The Angel in Cathedral
Square where visitors can come and have a chat with
the team and gain more of an insight into the important
work they do for the community, they will also be
delivering lessons, workshops and assemblies to the
city’s schools.

Team Leader Ann Nicholls is planning to welcome
22 schools to workshops at Worcester Cathedral’s
Undercroft Learning Centre as well as visiting over eight
secondary schools to present assemblies on the Knife
Angel’s message.
She says, “Although our city doesn’t have a knife crime
problem, we believe it’s important to raise awareness
about the risks of carrying knives and knife crime and
to reflect on the impact of violence on individuals and
families.

24/02/2022 12:33
PAGE 10 & 11.indd 2 24/02/2022 12:33
PAGE 10 & 11.indd 2