Knife Angel heading to Walsall
Walsall has been in the news for all the wrong reasons recently. Knife crime has been on the top of the agenda, with regular cases and incidents where people have lost their life.
So it is the perfect time for a sculpture built to represent victims of knife crime to come to the area, and that is exactly what is going to happen.
Walsall Council and West Midlands Police are in discussions with the British Ironworks Centre to have the iconic Knife Angel sculpture displayed for 28 days in Walsall Town Centre.
The request has been made in an attempt to raise awareness of knife crime in Walsall.
DC Simon Bradley of West Midlands Police contacted Clive Knowles of the British Ironworks Centre and is hoping to confirm a date for the angel to be displayed in the town centre.
DC Bradley said: "We continue to be committed to the arrival of the Knife angel to Walsall for a 28 day period which will spearhead a series of knife events and efforts to raise awareness of Knife crime in the West Midlands.
"The importance of the centre piece to the entire project rests with the successful arrival of the Angel.
"Our PCC is immensely supportive and keen to see the angel arrive into the Black Country.
"It is our intention to confirm the loan arrangements so that preparatory work can commence locally to site the Angel into Walsall town centre."
Enquiries began back in November between the centre and a delegation from Walsall.
They came on the back of an horrific knife crime in October, which saw 19-year-old Reagan Asbury stabbed at a boxing event at Walsall Town Hall.
Reagan, from Pelsall, was attacked after violence broke out at the boxing event on October 14, and a post mortem examination confirmed he died from a wound to his neck.
A man is set to stand trial charged with murder in June, but that hasn't been the only case of knife crime in Walsall to hit the headlines.
Just last week, Ammar Kahrod, from Aldridge, was convicted of murdering model James Brindley when he was on his way home from a night out.
He had denied murder, but was convicted at Birmingham Crown Court on Thursday, and was sentenced to life in prison.
Mr Knowles from the centre is delighted the angel, created by sculptor Alfie Bradley, will be going on tour after a number of cities expressed a desire to take the angel for a time.
He is hoping other cities follow the lead of Walsall.
He said: "It is great to see it moving around, and we're really humbled that Walsall have shown a commitment to take the Knife Angel.
"It shows they have grit to take this national monument against knife crime and violence, because Walsall has suffered a problem in recent months with knife crime."
Plans are for the Knife Angel to be transferred in a cradle to Walsall in April, and to be displayed for a month.
Perspex glass will be installed around the monument, and activities will take place throughout the month to raise awareness of knife crime.
Mr Knowles, who has been pushing for the angel to be shown on the fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square in London added: "I am hoping that other cities will come forward to take it after this, and follow on from Walsall's lead.
"Hopefully it will shame cities like London into realising they have a real problem with knife crime."
