LOVED ones of Sunderland knife crime victim Connor Brown have revealed Wearside will be welcoming the return of the knife angel to the region as part of continued efforts to prevent youth violence.

The Connor Brown Trust has been working closely with Police and Crime Commissioner Kim McGuinness and Sunderland City Council to bring the powerful sculpture to the city – which has now been confirmed to arrive in June 2024.

Standing at 27ft tall and constructed with over 100,000 surrendered blades, it’s set to be installed at Keel Square, where it will bring people together and encourage open conversations around the dangers of carrying bladed weapons, and the potential consequences.

It is not the first time the knife angel has visited the region. In February 2020, the emotive figure stood tall on Gateshead’s quayside at Performance Square, outside the Sage. That time another local anti-knife crime charity, Samantha’s Legacy, campaigned to get the angel to the North East and was supported by Kim McGuinness.

During the knife angel’s last visit thousands of young people visited the statue and many received a hard-hitting knife crime workshop delivered by the charity to highlight just how devastating the impacts carrying a knife can have on individuals, families, and entire communities.

Similarly, this year the Connor Brown Trust will be running various workshops – taking their important story of how Connor was tragically killed to classrooms and youth groups throughout the region.

These sessions will centre on warning young people of the dangers as well as crucially making sure they know what to do and where to go if they need help or advice if they or someone they know is carrying a knife.

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner, Kim McGuinness said: “Anyone who has already seen the knife angel knows how powerful it is – so poignant and hard-hitting. It sends shivers – it really makes you think – and that’s the idea.

“For me it perfectly symbolises the social change that we’re trying to push for across the region. It’s all about encouraging the important conversations, we’re delivering the powerful sessions and we’re reaching young people everywhere we can – from billboards and bus stops to Snapchat and Tik Tok – the message is everywhere.

“Too many lives have been lost due to the needless carrying of blades and so we are determined with this, we have to be. We are using every tool and method we can to get the message through, to change ways and ultimately save lives.”

The Connor Brown Trust was set up following the tragic death of 18-year-old Connor Brown whose parents want to do all they can to help stop knife crime and prevent others from going through the life-changing heartbreak they have. Mum Tanya, who has been the driving force behind getting the angel to Sunderland, said:

“I am thrilled that the Knife Angel is coming to Sunderland. It is an amazing piece of art in itself and the facts around the structure is something that resonates with us as a family. We know how much of an impact it had when it was in our region in 2020 and so many visited the angel and had the opportunity to be part of the educational workshops. I am positive the Knife Angel will have just as much of an impact on many more young people and attract many visitors. We have plans to run an extensive educational programme with other events and activities for the month the Angel is here in our city.”

Councillor Graeme Miller, Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: “I’m really pleased that the Knife Angel is visiting our city for the first time. I hope it has an incredibly powerful impact on everyone who sees it during its visit to Sunderland.

“No mother should ever have to go through what Tanya went through when she lost Connor, and my heart goes out to her and to every other parent who has lost a child to knife crime.

“If the Knife Angel coming to Sunderland makes even one young person think twice about carrying a knife or sparks a conversation among a group of young people about the devastating consequences of knife crime, then its visit will have been well worthwhile.”

Kim McGuinness established the region’s first Violence Reduction Unit in 2019, which works with a range of partners including Northumbria Police, to combat the devastation caused by knife crime.

Artist Alfie Bradley created the knife angel out of blades handed in during amnesties held by police forces across the country.

ENDS