Paul Taylor thanks crowds as Newark Knife Angel departs Wednesday
Hundreds gathered in newark on Sunday for a closing ceremony at St Mary Magdalene Church before the 27 ft Knife Angel leaves the town on Wednesday. Paul Taylor, the councillor responsible for public protection and community relations at Newark and Sherwood District Council, used the event to thank people who had taken part in the month-long programme.
The sculpture, built from more than 100,000 knives, drew residents from across Newark and Sherwood and visitors from farther afield. Taylor called it a “powerful reminder of the lives affected by violence” and said it had become a “catalyst” and a “conversation starter.”
St Mary Magdalene Church
The service included Rev Danny Marshall, a speech from Lord Lieutenant Veronica Pickering MBS HAC, and readings by Dawn Kinsella of Ben Kinsella Trust and Adele Cook of Cookies Crusaders. Both Kinsella and Cook have family members who were victims of knife crime, placing the ceremony’s message in the experience of people already living with that loss.
Schools across the district also displayed angel designs with messages of peace at the church. Barnby Road Academy performed a dance choreographed by Newark Dance Academy, several other schools formed the Angel Choir, and Newark Town Band played several songs during the event.
Newark and Sherwood programme
The district council organised the programme with We are Newark, You Can Do Sport, Newark College and Your CVS. Over the month, it included free first aid and bleed kit training, school anti-violence conferences and daily illuminations, alongside events for schools, families, community groups and people of all ages.
Taylor said people had travelled from across the county and far beyond to see the Knife Angel and take part in the events. Natalia Hart of You Can Do Sport and Emma Holden of We Are Newark both spoke near the end of the ceremony, as the final messages focused on the work that had built the month-long response.
Taylor's final message
“Over these past weeks, we have seen people travel from across the county and far beyond to see the Knife Angel, to take part in the events, and to add their voices to the message it carries,” Taylor said. He added that the collaboration had shown what could be achieved when people united behind a shared purpose, and said he hoped the legacy would remain after the sculpture leaves Newark on Wednesday this week.
For residents who took part in the programme, the immediate change is simple: the sculpture is about to go, but the network of schools, groups and organisers behind it is still in place. What remains now is whether the conversations it prompted continue after the display comes down.
