The Maddocks Family

Craig Maddocks, 34, an amateur boxer, was the victim of a frenzied knife attack on June 26, 2013, in a toilet cubicle at the Cambrian Vaults pub in Wrexham. He was stabbed 52 times with a flick-knife. His killer, Francesco John Prevete, 46, was told he will have to serve at least 23 years behind bars. The loss of Craig and what happened will be something the family never get over, their lives will never be the same again. Craig loved life and making people smile.

Edna and Lisa have been huge supporters of the Knife Angel since the very start and have worked so hard in helping us raise awareness on the effects of knife crime and violence. Nobody can understand what they have been through, as a family, but we are indebted to them for their courage and involvement with the Knife Angel campaign.

The Mcneil Family

Danny Jones, a 21 year old trainee accountant, was fatally injured during an attack in Lord Street in Oswestry on 24th April 2013. During an altercation after a night out, his attacker Richard Reece used a replica Lord of The Rings Sword. He was acquitted of murder but found guilty of manslaughter over the stabbing.

Danny’s Mother, Lisa Mcneil, and his family were devastated by the loss of Danny, who was a father to a baby son. Lisa and her family have supported our campaign since the beginning and have shown such strength during a difficult time. They have travelled with us to campaign and raise awareness of knife crime and violence and have shown courage when telling their story on the loss of Danny. We can’t thank the Mcneils’ enough for all of their support for the Knife Angel and what it represents. Their involvement certainly makes the Knife Angel’s message that bit more powerful and louder. Lisa has engraved a message on the sculpture in memory of Danny and their story will always be a part of the monument.

Alison Cope

Joshua Ribera, 18, also known as the rapper Depzman, was fatally stabbed through the heart at a Birmingham night club in September 2013. He was due to perform at a fundraiser to honour a young man who had been fatally stabbed one year earlier. His killer, Armani Mitchell, also just an 18-year-old boy, attacked Joshua due to jealousy over a girl. He was given a life sentence for the murder.

Alison has since worked tirelessly to campaign for knife crime laws to change, for harsher sentences and to educate children and young people of the devastating effects knife crime can have and the dangers of carrying a knife. Alison was nominated for a Pride of Birmingham award for all of her outstanding contribution to the community. She continues to campaign to this day and has supported the Knife Angel and our efforts to raise awareness. We are truly grateful for her support and back her all the way.

Lisa Minott

Fusilier David Lee Collins, a young soldier from Manchester, was fatally attacked at a night club in Cyprus. David, from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was said to have been stationed at an army base in the Dhekelia area of the island. He was off duty with three other soldiers when they became involved in a brawl with three British holidaymakers in the early hours of the morning. He was stabbed the day before he was due to fly out to Afghanistan. Mohammed Abdulkadir Osman, 20, from London, admitted manslaughter at a court in Larnaca.

David’s mother Lisa Minott is now the founder of an organisation called “Holding a Knife Is Not Worth a Life”, a group that rallies against knife crime and supports the families affected. Lisa has been honoured with a “be proud” award for her community projects and her campaign work after her sons passing. The award is bestowed on those who make a significant difference to troubled areas in their community. Lisa has supported the Knife Angel from the beginning of the ‘Save a Life, Surrender your Knife’ campaign and has been a courageous mother in fighting for change.

Rachel Webb

Tom Webb, 22, a young navy hopeful from Derby, was attacked and fatally stabbed whilst with his two friends in the city centre buying food and drink at Tesco’s on the 19th of January 2016. After a remark on how a girl who had walked past was ‘fit’, his murderer, Haris Mohammed, 16, stabbed Tom in the chest. He received a 14 year sentence for Tom’s murder.

Tom’s mother and fiancé were left with indescribable grief and the event will forever be traumatic for Tom’s mum, Rachel. Afterwards, Rachel spoke out on Tom’s story and got in touch with us when she heard of the ‘Save a Life’ campaign and the Knife Angel. Rachel showed great courage visiting the workshop where the Knife Angel was created just months after Tom had passed away. She has spoken out on TV and radio on the dangers of knife crime in the hope Tom’s story and her experience stops someone carrying a knife. She has been an invaluable support to the Knife Angel campaign and is a real strength in the fight against knife crime and violence in this country.

Tracey Hanson

Josh Hanson, 21 from Kingsbury, was fatally stabbed after an incident at the RE bar in Eastcote on October 11th 2015. Josh was a fitness fanatic and Spurs fan and worked as a roads planner. The chief suspect, Shane O’Brien, was featured at the top of the Metropolitan Police’s MOST WANTED list and was arrested after three and a half years on the run. He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 26 years. The family were desperate to get #justiceforjoshhanson and campaigned tirelessly to find his killer.

Tracey Hanson, along with her daughter Brooke, have spoken out over their turmoil in getting justice for Josh and their campaign went worldwide! With posters on display in Australia, Thailand and Cambodia, and all over Europe, Shane O’Brien was eventually arrested in Romania. Tracey and daughter Brooke got in touch with us when they heard of the Knife Angel Sculpture and our campaign to raise awareness of knife crime and violence and have even visited to see the sculpture for themselves. They have been a huge support in our campaign aims and we have helped them share their plea via social media to find Josh’s killer.

The Family of Ramarni Crosby

Ramarni Crosby was fatally stabbed on 15th December 2021 in Barton, Gloucester. At only 16 years old, Ramarni died at the hands of a group of teenagers wearing purple bandanas at a pre-arranged incident which he thought would be a fist fight.

This tragedy sparked serious debate in the City of Gloucester, and tens of thousands of pounds have since been raised for Ramarni’s family and for local charities. Danny Davis (Ramarni’s Uncle) ran 5km every day throughout January 2022 to raise money, and was joined by a whole community of supporters for his final run; raising over £13,000 for local charity Increase the Peace. The Ramarni Cup took place on March 6th 2022: a football match in Ramarni’s name to raise money. The cup is returning this year and will be hosted by Tredworth Tigers FC & Spa Cricket Ground.  Put the Knives Down Gloucester and The Ramarni Trust have been set up to raise awareness of knife crime, and to continue to get dangerous weapons off the streets.

Knifecrimes.org

Westley Odger, aged 27, was fatally attacked with a knife in Colchester, Essex, on 12 September 2005, during a row at a cash point. Ever since his Mother, Ann Oakes-Odger, has campaigned to make a change when it comes to knife crime and violence and set up the charity, knifecrimes.org. As a result of her own experience she researched the need for specialist support for Knife Crime Victims’ Families, and found many of the families grieving the loss of their children who were teenagers or younger victims of fatal stabbings. Ann is responsible for launching a successful campaign that resulted in a review of Schedule 21 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, whereupon a new starting point of 25 years was introduced in March 2010 specifically to address knife murder (and the use of other weapons).

The sudden death through homicide of a young child or teenager is particularly traumatic for parents, as well as siblings, grandparents and the school friends of the victim. Ann has worked closely with us in supporting the Save A Life, Surrender Your Knife campaign and putting us in touch with families who have lost loved ones through knife crimes and violence. We sent out a request to any of the families knifecrimes.org has supported to offer them the opportunity to have a message engraved onto a blade in memory of their lost loved ones, which really strengthened the Angel and it’s concept and made people aware just how damaging knife crime and violence is.

Anti Knife UK

 Anti Knife UK approached us at the start of the project to offer their help in spreading awareness of our campaign and in gaining support from police forces to take part in Amnesties within their force area. Founder Danny O Brien, who is passionate, energetic and full of enthusiasm in creating awareness and developing education on the issue of knife crime, has worked alongside us in contacting police forces and making them aware of the #savealifesurrenderyourknife campaign. Danny travels around schools, youth centres and community groups to try and educate the public and the youth of today about knife crime and how much of an issue it really is in this country. Danny was awarded a British Citizen award for his services to the community and we couldn’t thank him enough for all of his help and support.

Raising Aspirations

Raising Aspirations is a Greater Manchester Community Outreach project which works with young people to enable them to identify the needs and issues that they feel have a negative impact on them and their community. By identifying their needs, they then issue the team at the charity with finding appropriate means to address the issues. Enabling the young people to raise their aspirations helps to make their communities safer places to live, learn, play and work.

It’s founder, Michelle Mchale, has supported the #savealife, #surrenderyourknife campaign since it’s beginnings and was a key member of the team in making the police forces aware of what we were hoping to achieve in creating the knife angel.