How GDASS is helping to tackle knife-crime in Gloucester

On Wednesday 1 February, The Knife Angel, a 27-foot-high sculpture made from over 100,000 seized blades, was installed in the grounds of Gloucester Cathedral heralding a month-long focus on tackling knife crime in the city.

The Knife Angel is a huge, stunning contemporary sculpture of an angel made out of confiscated knives received from 43 Police Forces across the UK. It weighs in at a hefty 3.5 tonnes.

The Knife Angel’s stay in Gloucester, part of its National Anti-Violence Tour, was marked by an opening ceremony which attended by residents, local government officials and many Gloucester-based organisations including representatives from our Gloucestershire Domestic Abuse Support Service (GDASS).

Following the massive statue’s arrival, a series of events, workshops and other activities will take place across Gloucester involving a range of organisations and people of all ages and backgrounds.

GDASS will be supporting the National Anti-Violence Tour activities in Gloucester by:

• Helping to run school workshops for students around violence and knife crime
• Supporting the knife angel’s engagement vehicle with the police and other youth support services
• Sharing information with the public around the relationship between knife use and domestic abuse.

Ciara Owens Lattimore, GDASS Deputy Manager said: “The arrival of the Knife Angel in Gloucester has shone a spotlight on the pressing issue of violence, both in public places and domestic settings, in our city. We hope that the activities will act as a catalyst for change as we remember all those taken from us too soon.

“It is a privilege to be involved with the National Anti-Violence Tour, working alongside so many dedicated and passionate people.”

Earlier this month, GDASS colleagues unveiled the ‘Knife Rose’ sculpture, which explores themes of violence and abuse at a gallery run by the Gloucester-based charity Hundred Heroines. Hundred Heroines is the only UK charity dedicated to advancing public awareness of women in photography.

Looking to the future, GDASS will be working with Hundred Heroines to develop an artistic therapy programme to support their clients.

You can find out more about GDASS here.

You can read more about the Knife Angel here.