'Beautiful and heart-breaking' Knife Angel visit ends with moving candlelit vigil

A moving candlelit vigil has been held to honour those who have lost their lives to knife crime.

Loved ones were remembered by family and friends as part of the closing ceremony of the Knife Angel’s visit to Sunderland this evening.

The departure of the powerful sculpture, described by one as 'beautiful and heart-breaking', follows a month of awareness-raising sessions dedicated to fighting knife crime across the region.

The visit to Keel Square was organised by the Connor Brown Trust as part of their ongoing efforts to highlight the potentially fatal consequences of carrying a knife.

More than 1,000 students have been educated through thought-provoking workshops delivered by the charity, as part of school visits to see the Angel.

Simon and Tanya Brown formed the trust in memory of their son, Connor, who was stabbed to death at the age of 18 five years ago.

Connor Brown (Image: Contributor)

They have been sharing their story to visitors, opening up about their loss and the impact it has had on their family and others who have suffered such avoidable loss.

Tanya said: “It’s been an incredible month, we have been through such a range of emotions, particularly now it’s time here is coming to an end.

“It’s meant so much to us, as a family, to have the Angel in our city in memory of Connor and the other victims lost because of knives.

“We’ve reached thousands of young people with the important message that knives impact everyone – victims, families, perpetrators, witnesses and the emergency services too and are grateful for all the support we have had to make all this happen.”

Tanya is part of the North East Knife Crime Taskforce, a proactive public forum launched by the Northern Echo as part of powerful campaign to raise awareness of knife crime and to tackle the root causes of the problem.

She added: “The Angel has been a powerful focal point to having such important conversations – conversations we all need to keep having – we have to get it through that there is no right time to carry a knife.”

The idea to bring the Angel to Sunderland came after the Brown family saw the significant engagement achieved when the Angel took residency in Gateshead and Teesside.

The impressive 27-foot-tall statue is created from blades confiscated by the UK's 43 police forces, including Northumbria Police.

It is the work of artist and sculptor Alfie Bradley who was commissioned by the British Ironwork Centre as part of a series of impactful art pieces designed to address national issues.

The ceremony included moving speeches from the Browns and everyone who has been involved in making the visit a success with a powerful performance from Bethany Gospel Choir at the City Hall before the vigil.

The Knife Angel has been visited by children from Hetton Academy aged between 11 and 14 who earlier this year participated in a week-long Trainee Detective programme, which focussed on Connor’s murder in an alleyway in Sunderland.

Immersive technology and virtual reality allowed the budding detectives to walk through the crime scene as well as a custody suite to evaluate the evidence.

The trainees also heard expert medical evidence on Connor’s fatal injuries and the attempts to save his life, before going to Sunderland Magistrates’ Court for a behind-the-scenes look at the judicial process.

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Children from Hetton Academy at the Knife Angel in Sunderland (Image: Contributor) Gerard Elder, Education Partnership North East’s Immersive Learning Lead, said: “It was fantastic to see the pupils from Hetton Academy come together to share what they learned during the successful Trainee Detective Week about the dangers of knife crime.

“Their visit to the Knife Angel in Keel Square also gave them the chance to not only see an impressive sculpture up close but also think about what it represents.

“We hope to also use their feedback to help us create even more immersive resources that can engage more young people in the future and were proud to host an event at City Hall to reflect on the progress we've all made together over the past three months.”

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Northumbria PCC Susan Dungworth with the Knife Angel (Image: GAVIN HAVERY)

Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Susan Dungworth said the effort and determination to continue fighting knife crime will continue once the Knife Angel moves on.

She said: "Seeing the region come together this month, supporting the anti-knife message has been incredible.

“I can’t thank Simon and Tanya enough for their hard work and dedication to not only bringing this to the city but tirelessly working to speak with young people and get the message across through sharing their awful experience.

“No family should have to suffer what they have, and others have, and that’s why we have to put so much effort into working with young people, families, and communities so we are all in the fight against knife crime together. If we work with young people, and support them, we can reduce crime and save lives.”

Peter McIntyre, from Sunderland City Council, said the city’s SAIL project has worked closely with the trust by fundraising and providing emergency Bleed Kits in Sunderland city centre.

He said: “Tanya and Simon’s bravery and determination to channel their grief into something positive after losing Connor has been nothing short of remarkable.

“I have no doubt that their powerful story will have had a lasting impact on all who have heard it while the Knife Angel has been here.

“The Knife Angel has touched the hearts of people across the region during its time in Sunderland.

“And while its stay has been brief, if it has made even one young person think twice about carrying a knife or the devastating consequences of knife crime then its visit will have been well worthwhile.”

The Knife Angel (Image: Contributor)