Anti-knife crime charity to hold Knife Angel march in Northampton to raise awareness and unite communities

The charity’s director said that knife crime can only be reduced once disparate communities come together
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A anti-knife crime charity is set to hold a peaceful march during the famous Knife Angel’s visit to Northampton in efforts to raise awareness and unite communities.

The event is being organised by a relatively young charity named Off the Streets – North Northamptonshire, which aims to tackle knife crime in Northamptonshire by promoting education and training on knife crime and the harm it can cause. They also install bleed kits in public to provide life-saving first aid in the event of a stabbing.

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The event will be held in partnership with West Northamptonshire Council, C2C Local Action, Knife Crime Victim Support and Lay It Down!, among others.

The Knife Angel will be in Northampton from May 7.The Knife Angel will be in Northampton from May 7.
The Knife Angel will be in Northampton from May 7.

It also features a broad range of speakers, including past victims of knife crime, as well as live performances from groups like “Dancing Drums” (An African drumming community group) and DJ Aeon.

Ravaun Jones, 29, is the director of Off The Streets.

He said: “Our first reaction was it’s a good thing coming to our Northampton community in raising awareness. Hopefully it will help people understand more about what the knife angel means and what it represents.

“After the death of Dylan Holliday, it became about raising awareness. We realised that we need to do more as a community and do more to help our community.

The charity will host a march and community fundraiser in Nortampton.The charity will host a march and community fundraiser in Nortampton.
The charity will host a march and community fundraiser in Nortampton.
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"We raise awareness around knife crime and hold activities throughout the whole of Northamptonshire.

“This event has got different groups, from different backgrounds, different religions, everything. There are some areas that people won’t walk through between communities because they’re afraid of being beaten up and it can get quite petty, to be honest.

"So we’re trying to bring everyone together in one place and show that we can work together as a community to keep our young people from making the wrong choices.”

Money raised during the event will go towards installing more bleed kits around Northamptonshire, as well as amnesty bins where people can dispose of their unwanted knives safely.

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The go-ahead has reportedly already been given, according to the director, so all that is left is for the funds to be raised to pay for it.

While the need for such things is “unfortunate”, the director said the kits will become even more essential as the costs of living continue to rise.

Mr Jones said: "It’s a lack of activities for youths to do. So that’s a massive part of it. Also, poverty is a huge contributor and, as these price rises go on right now, things will sadly be getting worse before they get better.

"Not everyone who carries a knife will get involved with violence. But some of them do.”

"Together, we can stand off the streets.”

The march will take place Saturday May 7 from 12pm.

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May 7 will mark the first day of the "iconic" 27-feet-tall Knife Angel statue standing in Northampton as part of its nationwide tour.