There are certain moments in life that leave a lasting impression on you. Being part of hosting the Knife Angel in East Cambridgeshire has been one of those moments.
Standing in the shadow of Ely Cathedral, looking up at this powerful sculpture, I felt a mixture of sadness and reflection, but also hope.
The Knife Angel is made from over 100,000 blades, most of them simple kitchen knives, but every single one once capable of causing harm. The knives were handed in through an amnesty and have now been transformed into something that calls for change, understanding and compassion.
Some people have described Knife Angel as threatening, but to me it is yielding, pleading. It is undoubtedly an incredibly powerful force for good, driving social change in our country. The monument contains 80 messages, each one engraved on a blade that form the wings of the angel, messages from families of loved ones that have lost their lives to knife crime. Those families cannot turn back time, but their messages are helping others to avoid falling victim to the same fate.
That is why this sculpture matters. It starts conversations, it encourages understanding. And it reminds us all that every choice in life matters and every life has value.
The courage shown by two mothers, one from Haverhill, the other from Norwich, both of whom lost their sons to knife crime is what stays with me. Their bravery in telling their stories at the opening ceremony was extraordinary. Speaking so openly about such personal tragedy cannot have been easy.
Knife crime is not an abstract issue or a headline in the news. It is real, it is close to home, and it leaves a lasting impact on families and communities. Behind every statistic is a person, a future, and a family that has been changed forever by one moment in time, one wrong choice that was made by someone else.
That is why the Knife Angel matters so much. It encourages us, as individuals and as a community, to think about choices we make in life and their consequences.
I am incredibly proud that East Cambridgeshire is hosting the Knife Angel for its first visit to Cambridgeshire. This has only been possible thanks to the dedication of so many people, particularly Soham Town Rangers Football Club, along with partners including Cambridgeshire Police, Ely Cathedral, colleagues across local government and the East Anglian Air Ambulance which is the charity partner for this visit. It has been a real community effort.
The sculpture stands on Palace Green in Ely, freely accessible to all until 17th June, and I would encourage people to visit if they can. Take a few minutes to stand quietly and reflect. There are also educational events taking place throughout its stay, helping to engage young people and encourage conversations.
By the time the Knife Angel leaves Ely, it will have been seen by thousands. But its real impact will be less visible, in the conversations it has sparked, the awareness it has raised, and the small but important changes in how we look out for each other.
We cannot undo the past. But we can learn from it. And, together, we can work towards a future where fewer families have to face the kind of loss those two brave mothers spoke about.
That, surely, is the legacy the Knife Angel asks us all to carry forward.
Cllr Anna Bailey
