PCC welcomes Knife Angel to Newton Aycliffe

Last weekend I was asked to formally welcome the arrival of the iconic Knife Angel to Newton Aycliffe.

For those of you who have not seen or heard of the Knife Angel it is an extraordinary powerful symbol of both grief and hope, forged from the very weapons that have torn through too many families, too many futures, and too many communities.

Every blade in its wings once posed a threat. The Knife Angel was creatively constructed from 100,000 deadly knives that were either surrendered, seized, or recovered.

Knife crime is not just a statistic—it is a devastating reality for too many families. Local families like Zoey McGill whose young son Jack Woodle was murdered by a gang of youths, who carried knives as though they were toys, as though life held no value.

There is no comfort that can erase her pain, but the Knife Angel serves as a poignant opportunity to honour his memory—and the memory of every life lost too soon.

We are fortunate in County Durham and Darlington not to have the same level of violence as the larger metropolitan areas, but like many areas of the country, knife crime is rising. We cannot sit back and do nothing!

I have made it clear that I am determined to work with the force and partners to overcome the challenges, to change mindsets and the problems that drive people to carry a knife.

This is why we are working with young people in our schools, colleges and youth and sports clubs and use this unique opportunity to challenge the culture of violence; to stop young people from ever contemplating carrying a weapon of any kind.

For the next month, the Knife Angel will give us a new focus for these activities; an opportunity to instigate difficult conversations about why people carry knives in the first place and to raise awareness of the better ways of solving disputes.

We owe it to them—to Zoey, and to all victims and survivors—to do more!

We must remove dangerous weapons from our streets, support our police and frontline services, and make clear that violence is never the answer.

I want as many schools, colleges, youth clubs, parents and grandparents in County Durham and Darlington and the wider northeast to take their children to see this powerful and emotive piece of art that will undoubtedly leave a positive legacy in our fight against knife crime.

Durham Constabulary has one of the lowest rates of knife crime in the country – and we want to make sure it stays that way.

Their ‘Knife Crime is Pointless’ campaign focuses on three stark realities of carrying a knife:
Pointless risk– Carrying a knife makes you more likely to become a victim yourself.
Pointless to carry– There is no justification for carrying a weapon.
Pointless choices– One bad decision can destroy lives, leading to serious injury, death, or prison. Anyone caught carrying a knife without a valid reason can face up to four years in prison – a life-altering punishment for a decision that could have been avoided.

Members of the public can now safely surrender knives at the front counters of the following police stations: Durham City, Bishop Auckland, Peterlee, and Darlington. Please visit our website for station opening times.

For safety, all knives to be surrendered must be securely wrapped and sealed in a bag or box before being transported. Knives must never be carried openly or in a way that could cause alarm.