In 2014 British Ironwork Centre began a new campaign, which would not only highlight a national issue but tackle it through their passion for art. This became known as the Knife Angel.

Under the banner “Save a Life, Surrender your Knife” the Centre sought permission from the Home Office to work with all 43 UK Police Forces to retrieve knives from the streets of the UK, by providing knife banks to educate and raise awareness of the horrors of knife crime.

The knife Angel is a 27ft high sculpture, which Alfie has designed and is creating single-handedly with 100,000 knives surrendered and collected in nationwide amnesties in 2015/2016.

The statue was unveiled in 2017, and arrived in Coventry on March 14 where it will remain until April 23rd.  The sculpture can be found in the grounds of Coventry Cathedral as can be seen in the photographs below.

It is the first time on display in the Midlands as part of a UK tour having previously toured to Liverpool and Hull. The knife angel stands in the shadow of Coventry Cathedral a representation of the city’s unified determination to address knife crime and in doing so cement its reputation as a city of peace and reconciliation. The decision to bring the Knife Angel to Coventry has been supported by the Coventry City of Culture Trust, Coventry Cathedral, Coventry City Council, Coventry Police and the European City of Sport 2019 initiative.

Looking at the knives you cannot avoid feeling fearful for your life and for the lives of your loved ones, since many of those knives took away someone’s life or at least they were seized by police before somebody lost it. 

The arrival could not be any more timely, as the city comes together to tackle knife crime - with a spate of incidents involving knives in recent times.  There was service on Saturday 23rd March led by Right Reverend Dr Christopher Cocksworth, Bishop of Coventry who welcomed leaders of many of the faiths in Coventry. Please pray for the victims of knife crime.

Canon Tom Farrell, Dean of Coventry, said that he welcomed the church’s involvement and hoped that schools and parishes could share the message with their young people.

Click image below for more photos