On Friday, a new fundraising installation was erected by Hope House staff – a stunning Butterfly Garden which is now on display at the British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry. The hand-painted metal butterflies were designed with the help of staff, parents, and children, all inputting over the appropriate colours and shapes to be used. The butterfly symbol was chosen as it’s known across the world as a symbol of life, change, endurance, and especially HOPE.   Pictured (Fr...

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The Wirral University Teaching Hospital Charity (WUTH) help thousands of patients every year, supporting both Arrowe Park Hospital and Clatterbridge Hospital based in the Wirral area. Their mission is to improve the quality of patient care through multiple avenues, including the purchase of medical equipment and through the direct enhancement of patient’s experiences. Earlier this year, we were approached by the charity regarding launching their very own metal flower ca...

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Today has seen another shocking and very large delivery of blades and mixed weapons arriving with the Ironworks from safe police storage facilities in Worcestershire. The delivery, which arrived via waste contractors BIFFA, featured a skip filled to the brim with blades, swords, and other such weapons removed from public spaces throughout the West Mercia area. Most of the weapons were in bio-hazard tubes following analysis and the completion of investigative police processing...

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Just yesterday, a 7.5 tonne lorry arrived here at the Ironworks to deliver thousands of weapons – including knives and guns – which have been collected from the streets of Manchester. All weapons were collected as part of the Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) ‘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 pub...

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We were honoured to be visited by Gabrielle Cochrane, the Supporter Relations Officer for Longfield Hospice, who was here at the Centre yesterday to collect more metal flowers for their ‘Forget Me Not’ campaign. The campaign forms a part of our National Hospice Support Programme, where we aim to support all hospices across the country to raise additional funding for their individual causes. Gabrielle was also here to give us some great news over how incredibly wel...

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Over the years since the Knife Angel’s conception, we have been approached many times regarding the Knife Angel monument being homed in Shrewsbury. Very recently, we were again approached over the possibility of the Angel, also recognised as the National Monument Against Violence & Aggression, replacing the ‘Clive of India’ statue which currently sits within Shrewsbury’s Market Hall Square. Nearly 20,000 signatures have been added to a number of pe...

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After spending an extended two months in Telford’s Southwater Square, the Knife Angel will be officially returning home to the Ironworks on Friday the 12th of June! The Angel, also known as the National Monument Against Violence & Aggression, arrived in the Shropshire town of Telford at the end of February and was only meant to remain there until the end of March as part of its National Anti-Violence Tour. However, due to the COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic and the ...

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Today, officers from the Ministry of Defence (MOD) visited us here at the Ironworks in an effort to increase Coronavirus (COVID-19) testing in Shropshire and, most importantly, Oswestry. The MOD has identified the Ironworks as the perfect location due to its excellent public awareness alongside the added benefit of public familiarity. Soldiers from the Queen’s Regiment of Gurkha Signals, based in York, were tasked to fulfil a recognisees survey, and attended the site to...

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Just last week, we were honoured to have Louise Hickman, West Mercia Police Sergeant, and Michelle Thomason, West Mercia Police Community Support Officer, here to discuss a collaborative art project between ourselves and the West Mercia Police Force. The Knife Angel has now been on display in Telford’s Southwater Square since the beginning of the month, with its main objective is to create the social change necessary to turn the tide on violent behaviour. Through our bel...

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Just yesterday, we were honoured to have Louise Hickman, West Mercia Police Sergeant, and Michelle Thomason, West Mercia Police Community Support Officer, here to judge Telford & Wrekin’s ‘Anti-Violence Art Awards’. Both Louise and Michelle are heavily involved in West Mercia Police’s ‘Steer Clear’ youth knife intervention programme, something designed specifically to better engage their community youth with anti-violence awareness and ...

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