A moving monument which aims to deter young people away from violent behaviour and knife crime has returned to the North East today (Friday, May 31) on its UK tour.
The Knife Angel, which is made out of 100,000 seized blades and knives was unveiled in a touching opening ceremony at Keel Square in Sunderland this evening (May 31).
The 27ft angel, created by artist Alfie Bradley in 2018, is set to remain in Sunderland for the month of June as part of its tour around the UK - it will then be moved to Southend-On-Sea then Luton.
This is the first time the angel will be on display in Sunderland - it was last available to see in the North East in Redcar back in August 2022.
At the unveiling were parents Tanya and Simon Brown, whose 18-year-old son Connor died from stab wounds after he was attacked on a night out in Sunderland in 2019.
Following their son's death, Tanya and her husband Simon founded The Connor Brown Trust in his memory and have since run workshops in schools telling Connor's story and educating youngsters on the dangers of knives and knife crime.
The couple continue to be heavily involved within The Northern Echo's North East Knife Crime Taskforce.
Simon explained that getting the knife angel to Sunderland had been a long-term project.
“It’s been over two-and-a-half years of hard planning – Tanya has been committed to making sure this would happen”, he said.
“It is hard to believe that it is actually here. There has been such a build-up to today.”
Tanya added: “We’ve been feeling nervous and anxious but have really been anticipating its arrival. We feel so proud and honoured that we have been able to bring it here.
“We have had such fantastic support from everyone – to see it finally happening today is giving me butterflies.”
It is nearly five years after the couple first saw the angel in Middlesbrough in 2019 – just months after Connor lost his life.
Tanya said: “Seeing it for the first time in Middlesbrough – it sent my emotions in to overdrive. It was very raw, seeing it after Connor’s death.
“We then knew when we saw it in Gateshead in 2020 that it was something we had to do. Now it’s here, I hope we can do it proud.
“Picking up a knife is not an option – so have that conversation with somebody.”
The couple are just weeks away from opening their very own community hub in Pennywell, Sunderland, and have confirmed they will continue to be active in knife crime education for a long time to come.
“The task force just seems to be getting bigger and bigger,” Simon said.
Tanya added: “It is about being united – and that’s what I feel the task force is doing. The stronger and louder that we are, the better.
“I have personally found that the taskforce has shaped our work. It is a brilliant forum, and I can’t wait to see how I goes from strength to strength because I believe in it.”
Chief Superintendent Jo Park-Simmons, the Knife Crime Lead at Northumbria Police was also at the unveiling, and expressed her thoughts on the positive impact the monument could have.
“It’s great to see the angel back here in the North East - we have seen it here before. It’s a powerful message to bring in to the city with the help from Tanya and Simon.
“They have a powerful legacy that they have created from the loss of their son and it really highlights part of the message we want for Sunderland - saying that we are not going to stop tackling knife crime.”
Chief Supt Park-Simmons then placed a huge emphasis on educating young people, saying that as a force they believe “education is key” when it comes to knife crime.
She added: “I think the visual of the angel when it comes here will help to educate children too as they learn the story behind it.”
Whilst the angel is in Sunderland in June, amnesty bins to dispose of knives will be placed in both Southwick and Millbank with hopes that it will encourage those carrying knives to dispose of them without consequence.
Also on the agenda for Northumbria Police is operation sceptre - a UK wide operation targeting knife crime.
In the North East over two weeks of two operation, 220 arrests were made and over 200 knives were seized.
Chief Supt Park-Simmons then emphasised her message to young people on carrying knives - adding that there is no excuse.
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She said: “My message to young people would be there is never an excuse to carry a knife and think about before you carry that knife because it could have irreversible consequences. We also don’t do this alone and we need to spread that message of knife crime.
“For parents, friends and family, have those conversations however awkward they might be with young people to really drive home the consequences carrying a knife could have.”
The Knife Angel will be at Keel Square in Sunderland City Centre for the whole month of June.
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