As the first UK sculpture to be made entirely of firearms, this Bee Monument is a dedicated monument for the UK’s second largest city, Greater Manchester, to become a catalyst for an area specific anti-violence programme. You can see the current tour schedule for the Bee here.

In collaboration with the Greater Manchester Police (GMP), we will be creating an anti-violence monument to highlight the city’s stance against all forms of violence. In July 2020, a 7.5 tonne lorry arrived here at the Ironworks to deliver thousands of weapons – including knives and guns – which have all been collected from the streets of Manchester. All weapons were collected as part of the GMP’s ‘Forever Amnesty’. The knife and gun banks used for the amnesty were designed and created here at the Centre and have been utilised as a continual programme to encourage and support the public to surrender their dangerous weapons in order to clear the streets of violent and aggressive behaviour.

Manchester are the first location in the UK to develop and commit to an ongoing amnesty project like this, which the GMP call their “Forever Amnesty” project, with all collected weapons to be used to create an anti-violence monument for the city. The variety and sheer volume of weapons delivered to the Ironworks was a stark reminder that our need to suppress violence is a continual effort that requires a continual focus. The piece that we create for Manchester will be their first and only anti-violence monument created from recovered weapons, so it will be entirely unique on many fronts.

“I just wanted to say, from my own perspective, that I really enjoyed organising the Bee tour around GMP and found the response to be incredibly positive. The level of engagement it invoked from school children was incredible. So thank you very much.”

– Clive Knowles, Chairman of the British Ironwork Centre

Clive Knowles, Chairman of the British Ironwork Centre & Paul Nolan, GMP Inspector (Violence Reduction Unit)

Why Did We Create This Monument?

Following the overwhelming response to the Knife Angel and its National Youth Anti-Violence Educational Programme and Tour, Greater Manchester Police wanted to collaborate with us to create their own specific monument.

Marking the first occasion a British Constabulary has entrusted us with firearms, as well as blades, the GMP handed to us thousands of seized and collected weapons to create a dedicated monument.

Fuelled and inspired by the trust that the GMP had in us, we wanted to create a monument that was both visually magnificent and striking, whilst also resonating with the Manchester community.

Concept art for Manchester’s Anti-Violence Monument, crafted from guns & knives collected by the GMP

Clive Knowles, Chairman of the British Ironwork Centre, Paul Nolan, GMP Sergeant (Violence Reduction Unit) and Roger Edwards, GMP Detective Inspector

Working Together for Social Change

The worker bee is an important symbol to the people of Manchester, signifying a city made by the workers and by the people. The bee inspires the idea that together, we are stronger and can achieve incredible goals as a society.

We wanted to capture this ideal within the monument. Created and developed in a way that the bee can easily be transported, the monument is travelling the suburbs of Greater Manchester to educate and raise awareness on anti-violence and anti-aggression within the community.

We hope that the bold design of the bee, paired with the important symbolism of the bee itself, will invoke education, communication, and discussion so we can turn the tide of devastating violence within Greater Manchester.

Paul Nolan, GMP Inspector (Violence Reduction Unit)

Hosting the Bee

We would love the Bee to visit all four corners of the United Kingdom. If you’re part of any nationally recognised group (for example, a police constabulary, community group or initiative, social services, education provider) the Bee is available for you to host. Hosting the Bee is always free as we want to promote anti-violence education everywhere, and support those who’s lives violence has affected.