Helping to End a National Epidemic

Ironworks Supply Stansted Airport with Knife Banks

As with any airport in Europe, Stansted Airport in London has to deal with an incredibly large number of people entering its doors every day, with a huge 27 million passengers per year. Occasionally some of these passengers may bring a blade into the airport and, although it is unlikely that many of these knives are being carried with malicious intent, the safety of its patrons is always at the forefront of Stansted’s day to day concerns.

With knife crime statistics reaching shocking heights each year, our nation is on a constant high alert when it comes to knife related attacks and weaponry. Through countless news and media reports, knife crime has become a truly harrowing and unnerving topic all across the UK, which is why Stansted have stepped up to help further protect our community. In collaboration with the Essex Police Force, Stansted are doing the conscientious thing to ensure all necessary precautions are taken to keep everyone safe within the airport walls and beyond, as they cross international waters.

Through our ‘Save a Life, Surrender your Knife’ campaign, we supplied the Essex Police with a collection of specially designed knife banks. These knife banks will be dotted throughout Stansted Airport where all apprehended, or anonymously captured blades, can be safely deposited and removed or recycled by the authorities.

Pictured: Kerry Dutton from The British Ironwork Centre with the Stansted Knife Banks completed.

We have been supporting police forces for over five years now, beginning with the ‘Save a Life, Surrender your Knife’ campaign. Working alongside the Home Office, all 43 Police Constabularies and families of victims, this campaign was the catalyst to create the Knife Angel, now recognised as the National Monument against Violence and Aggression. The Angel not only represents the UK’s intolerance to knife related violence, but it is also a beautiful memorial for all lives lost by these horrific acts and is a powerful point of tuition for our youth. Recently beginning its UK tour in Liverpool and Hull, the Angel is now onto its 3^rd city, Coventry, where it will continue to raise significant awareness surrounding the national blight of knife crime.

As knife related crime figures rise, it is our aim to be a support mechanism to the community in order to help as best we can to reduce these numbers. If your police force, airport, stadium or any other community area would like to discuss the possibility of knife banks, then please get in touch with us. Furthermore, if you believe your city or cathedral would be interested in hosting the Knife Angel, then please let us know! Give us a call on 0800 6888386 to discuss further.