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The ceremony featured the following speeches:
- Rob Beckley, the High Sheriff of Somerset, spoke about the importance of education and raising awareness in tackling knife crime
- Emma Webber, whose son Barnaby was tragically fatally stabbed, shared her personal story and a powerful message against knife crime
- Councillor James Clayton, North Somerset Council’s executive member for safety in the community, told the history of the Knife Angel statue.
Ryan Abrahams, a Weston College student who designed the Knife Angel North Somerset logo, was also presented with a certificate by the High Sheriff.
The High Sheriff then led the crowd in a minute’s silence, to remember those who have lost their lives to knife crime and violent crime.
The ceremony concluded with Emma Webber tying the first ribbon on to the memorial ribbon tie by the Knife Angel statue. Other attendees then followed, creating a powerful visual memorial that will be added to over the month.
Councillor James Clayton, North Somerset Council’s executive member for safety in the community, said: “Being part of the opening ceremony to officially welcome the Knife Angel to North Somerset was a powerful experience.
“Thank you to the High Sheriff of Somerset for chairing the ceremony. His speech laying out the national context of knife crime, and how we can spread awareness to help tackle this growing problem, was stirring.
“Hearing Emma Webber’s personal story was incredibly moving, and reinforced the importance of raising awareness of this devastating issue.
“The statue will be at the Italian Gardens throughout May, and I would urge everybody to come and see it. The Knife Angel is a symbol for powerful change, and we’ve planned a month of action throughout May and beyond to engage with the local community and help spread awareness about knife crime. Please do get involved with this where you can, to find out how we can work together to help keep our local community safe.”
To find out more about Knife Angel’s visit to Weston-super-Mare, please visit: www.n-somerset.gov.uk/knifeangel
In image carousel below: Councillor James Clayton, Emma Webber, Ryan Abrahams and the High Sheriff of Somerset stand in front of Knife Angel; Cllr Clayton ties a ribbon to the memorial; a closeup of Knife Angel.
