Inspired by one of the largest creatures to ever roam Shropshire, we are excited to announce our latest project - a life-size woolly mammoth sculpture! Designed specifically to raise better awareness of the importance and critical need for change in order to protect our environment, this sculpture will also highlight how intensely the earth’s flora and fauna suffer as a result of humanity’s neglect.

Last year, it was our goal to help hospices all across the UK to raise an additional £1million in funding for their causes. Our national campaign went better than we ever could have imagined but, as we enter a new decade, we are still yet to reach our one-million-pound goal. 2019 was a wonderful year, with a large number of new hospices joining our ‘Hospice Support Programme’ to reap the benefits of our metal ‘Forget Me Nots’ campaign. It was certainly our busiest year yet for hospice campaigns and, by all working together, we managed to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds for hospices of various sizes all across the country.

On Saturday the 7th of December, nearly 500 guests braved the weather in their finest ball-worthy outfits to attend the official Macmillan Cancer Support Ball, ‘Greatest Show Ball’, hosted right here on the Ironworks’ grounds. The fantastic marquee, as kindly provided by Adrian at Border Bars and Marquees, was stunningly decorated with a variety of our sculptures, clusters of colourful balloons, a towering Christmas Tree from Leaton Forest Christmas Trees & Events Christmas Trees covered in silver stars as part of the ‘Be a Star’ Macmillan appeal, and a whole heap of sparkles to match!

The Knife Angel officially landed in Powys on Friday, where it will remain outside of the Oriel Davies Gallery in Newtown until the 29^th of January. As part of our ‘Save A Life, Surrender Your Knife’ campaign in a bid to end knife crime and all other forms of violent behaviour, we have provided Newtown with a knife bank to enable them to conduct a month-long surrender during the Knife Angel's stay. Working alongside the Dyfed-Powys Police, this initiative has been specifically designed to utilise the Angel’s message against violent and aggressive behaviour in order to create a safer community within the heart of mid-Wales.

The Knife Angel, also recognised as the National Monument Against Violence & Aggression, has officially embarked on the next leg of its National Anti-Violence Tour today. The Angel left the Ironworks, where it has remained throughout December, and entered Wales for the first time - a truly momentous occasion and a fantastic way to start the new year! Made possible by the Powys County Council and the Dyfed-Powys Police & Crime Commissioner, the monument was escorted into Newtown this morning where it will remain until the end of January.

Protecting Our Environment 

As part of our continuous journey to help improve our environment and do our bit to protect the world around us, we are currently in the process of undertaking a myriad of steps towards becoming a greener British Ironworks Centre. We understand that there is a desperate need for global change and, rather than just shout about it, we want to start actioning important environmental change on a larger scale!

Derby Cathedral to be the First East Midlands Location to Host National Monument

The Knife Angel has now been travelling across UK for just over six months, with many other cities on the list to host it next, including the now confirmed city of Derby. In October of this year, the Angel will be proudly stood next to Derby Cathedral on Irongate which has been made possible through the passion of Derby Cathedral, Derbyshire Police, Derby City Council, Police and Crime Commissioner Hardyal Dhindsa, University Hospitals of Derby and the Burton NHS Foundation Trust. Derby will be the first East Midlands location to host the sculpture and we are incredibly excited to see it there later in the year.

Declared the biggest event in its 22-year history, the 2019 Birmingham Pride parade took place over the past bank holiday weekend and saw over 100,000+ spectators and participants in attendance. The Pride Parade began its journey in Victoria Square, through the town centre and ended in the Gay Village. With the Knife Angel currently residing in Victoria Square until early June, the towering sculpture was lit up in a rainbow of colours especially for the event and was viewed and celebrated by every Pride attendee and participant.

A Partnership Forged Over Ending Youth Violence
Ironworks Join Forces with the British Youth Council to Address a National Assembly

Recently, here at the British Ironworks Centre, we have had an amazing and very timely discussion with an incredibly inspirational group – the British Youth Council (BYC). Working to empower and support young people aged 25 and under to have an informed voice within their communities, the BYC aim to give youth the confidence to make a difference locally, nationally and internationally.