Cambridgeshire is set to host a 27-foot-tall monument created to raise awareness of knife crime and its devastating impact on individuals, families and communities.

The nationally recognised Knife Angel will be at Palace Green, in Ely, opposite the Ely Cathedral from 20 May to 17 June.
It will be free to attend, open seven days a week, and accessible to the public throughout its stay.

The opening ceremony on 20 May will see speakers including High Sheriff Frances Burkitt, Police and Crime Commissioner Darryl Preston, Chief Constable Simon Megicks, Chief Firefighter Matthew Warren, and knife crime campaigner and spoken word artist Quinton Green.

The Knife Angel was created by sculptor Alfie Bradley at the British Ironwork Centre. It has been crafted from more than 100,000 knives and blades confiscated by police forces across the UK and serves as a powerful symbol of the human cost of knife crime and violence.

This will be the sculpture’s first visit to Cambridgeshire, which will coincide with a knife amnesty, encouraging people to safely surrender weapons and helping to prevent further harm.

Throughout the Knife Angel’s stay, there will be a strong focus on education and engagement, particularly with young people. Secondary school visits are scheduled for 2, 9 and 16 June, with workshops and programmes taking place on those days to support prevention and early intervention.

The project is being delivered by Soham Town Rangers Football Club in collaboration with partners including the police, the Police and Crime Commissioner, Cambridgeshire County Council, East Cambridgeshire District Council and Ely Cathedral.
National Lottery funding has largely covered the costs of the Knife Angel and local businesses have also contributed, with recovery firm, Manchetts, transporting the Angel and local community group, Men's Shed in Soham, making the picket fence which will surround it.

Soham Town Rangers FC Chairman, Jonathan James, said: “Knife Crime, particularly among young people, is a problem across all parts of the country and as football is a force for good, we are able to play our part in highlighting the danger and impact that it has on communities.

“We have partnered with the local authorities and emergency services and are pleased to be able to highlight the vital work that they all do on a daily basis.”

Police and Crime Commissioner, Darryl Preston said: "I welcome the Knife Angel to Cambridgeshire. Its message of anti-violence is clear and moving.

"Whilst we may not have the scale of knife crime that is seen in some parts of the country, sadly Cambridgeshire and Peterborough are not immune to these issues.

"Hosting the Knife Angel will illustrate to communities, in Ely and across the wider county, the devastating effect of knife crime. It's also an opportunity to engage our communities, particularly young people, to make them more aware of the risks and consequences of knife carrying.

"I will continue to work with partners to support their efforts to prevent serious violence."

Superintendent Paul Rogerson said: “Knife crime is thankfully low in Cambridgeshire in comparison with national levels. However, every single incident leaves lasting harm on individuals, families and communities, and the Knife Angel is a powerful reminder of the real human cost behind every blade.

“By bringing the sculpture to Cambridgeshire, alongside a knife amnesty, we want to encourage people to think twice, surrender weapons safely and have honest conversations about how we prevent violence before it happens.”

Lis Every, chair of the East Cambs Community Safety Partnership, said: “We are delighted to welcome the Knife Angel to the district.

“The Community Safety Partnership already runs a highly effective anti-knife initiative for secondary schools across East Cambridgeshire.

“This involves working with students to raise awareness of the dangers of knife crime and involves a mock court session at the former Ely Magistrates’ Court to examine some of the legal consequences of carrying knives.

“The presence of the Knife Angel really adds to our awareness raising strategy and I know the young people who visit will really benefit from seeing it. It is very thought provoking.”

The project will also support East Anglian Air Ambulance, who will be holding a range of activities throughout the Knife Angel’s stay in Ely. These will include delivering CPR and defibrillator training, as well as holding collections and opportunities for the community to learn more about the charity’s lifesaving work.

Tammy Swiderski, Community Fundraising Lead at East Anglian Air Ambulance, said: “We are honoured to have been chosen as the benefiting charity for the Knife Angel’s visit to Ely. The installation is a powerful reminder of the impact of serious violence and the role we all play in preventing it.

“As a charity, we bring the hospital to the patient’s side in the fastest time possible for the most seriously ill and injured people in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk, so this message deeply resonates with our crews. With no regular government funding, every mission is made possible by public support, and working with local partners on events like this helps raise awareness of the importance of keeping this lifesaving service flying.”

The Knife Angel’s visit aims to spark conversations, educate communities about the consequences of carrying knives, and reinforce the message that violence can be prevented through collective action.

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PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Dew's Coaches' Zip 1 Service comes into Ely via Angel Drove, Station Road, Broad Street, Forehill, Lisle Lane, Prickwillow Road, Newnham Street and terminates in Market Street. When it departs it leaves Market Street, then into Lynn Road, Minster Place, The Gallery, Back Hill, Station Road, Angel Drove. It is basically a circular service from Ely back to Ely, that serves the villages of Little Thetford, Stretham, Wilburton, Haddenham and Witcham but in the early afternoon changes its directional flow from an anticlockwise route to a clockwise one – in effect all points can be reached on every rotation it does from Ely.

The Zip 2 and Zip 3 Services enter and leave Ely along Cambridge Road past the Golf Course before terminating in Market Street.

Attached at the bottom of the article are two documents that include timetables and information for all three services.

Fares to/from Lancaster Way, on all three services, are as follows: the single journey fare £2.20 for adults, £1.50 for under 19’s.

The Zip 1 service offers a return fare of £4.00 for adults, £2.65 for under 19’s. Unfortunately, there is no return fare offered on the Zip 2 and 3 services.

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As part of Knife Crime Awareness Week, a national week of action focused on raising awareness, sparking conversations and promoting education around knife crime, The Ben Kinsella Trust are hosting four specialist training sessions. Since launching our training programmes in 2023, we have reached over 8,500 adults nationwide, and Knife Crime Awareness Week provides an important opportunity to extend that reach even further, engaging more professionals, families and individuals in vital preventative learning.

This year, Knife Crime Awareness Week will be delivered entirely online, including our training sessions and the ‘Trusted Adult’ and ‘Organisation’ Pledges. Hosting the week digitally allows us to reach as many people as possible, inspire nationwide conversations and encourage collective action to help prevent knife crime. Their sessions are designed to support prevention and early intervention by increasing understanding of the causes and consequences of knife crime, while equipping those closest to young people with practical knowledge and confidence.

A key event during the week is their first ever Real Stories, Real People – LIVE Q&A, taking place on Thursday 21st May from 6.30–8.30pm. Building on our award-winning Real Stories, Real People podcast series, this interactive webinar brings together speakers with lived experience of knife crime alongside our trained facilitators. The session offers a safe and supportive space to listen, reflect and connect with real experiences, placing honest conversation and lived reality at the heart of learning. Through open discussion and live questions, we aim to challenge misconceptions, deepen emotional understanding and provide insight into the pressures facing young people today.

Registration is available by clicking here

They will also be delivering Knife Crime Awareness Essentials, a one‑hour training session for teachers and school staff, on Wednesday 20th May from 3.45–4.45pm. This session focuses on the vital role schools play in early intervention and safeguarding, supporting education professionals to understand the drivers behind knife‑carrying, including fear, peer pressure and online influences. It explores how knife‑related risks can present in school environments and provides practical guidance on responding to concerns confidently, consistently and appropriately, while equipping staff to engage young people in meaningful, preventative conversations.

Teachers and school staff can register by clicking here

Alongside their work in schools, they are running specialist training for youth workers and frontline practitioners on Tuesday 19th May from 9.30am–12.30pm. This session supports those working directly with young people to recognise early signs of exploitation, understand why some young people may feel compelled to carry knives, and respond using trauma‑informed approaches that prioritise prevention and safeguarding. To support meaningful discussion and engagement, places for this session are limited to 30 participants.

Youth Workers and practitioners can register by clicking here

Completing their upcoming training sessions is their forthcoming Helping Our Children Stay Safe workshop for parents and carers, taking place on Tuesday 2nd June from 6–8pm. This session aims to increase awareness of the social, emotional and cultural pressures affecting young people’s safety, while helping families recognise warning signs, understand online and peer risks, and feel more confident having open, supportive conversations at home.

Parents and carers can register by clicking here

Throughout all of their sessions delivered during Knife Crime Awareness Week, participants will be invited and encouraged to sign the Trusted Adult or Organisation Pledge. Guided by their mission to inspire a national movement where everyone recognises their role in preventing knife crime, they are placing a strong emphasis this year on commitment through action. By encouraging individuals and organisations to take small, meaningful steps, they aim to drive collective change that helps protect young lives and build safer futures for all.

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Free coach parking is located at Ely City Football Club, Downham Road, Ely CB6 2SH which is approximately 5 minutes from the city centre. Here there are a number of food outlets and toilets.

By Bus
There are regular bus services linking Ely with Cambridge, Newmarket and many of
the surrounding villages. You can use the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Travel
Planner to plan your journey or use Traveline who also have a premium rate telephone
number 0871 200 2233.

You can pick up local bus timetables from the Tourist Information Centre.

Dial-a-Ride
Dial-a-Ride services are like a flexible bus service, using fully accessible minibuses and
picking up passengers at their own homes. To use a dial-a-ride scheme, you need to pay
a modest annual membership fee and book your place at least two days in advance of
when you want to travel. There are three Dial-a-Ride schemes in the district.

Concessionary bus pass holders pay half fare on all three services.

Disabled Toilet Facilities in Ely
The following Council toilets provide access for visitors in wheelchairs. All are part of
the RADAR Key scheme. RADAR Keys can be purchased from Ely Tourist Information
Centre priced at £3.50.

Disabled toilets in Ely are available at:
Barton Road
Ship Lane
Cloisters Shopping Centre – Please note these facilities are currently closed.

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