A special event is taking place in Shrewsbury on Thursday 30 July to mark the departure of the Knife Angel.

The vigil will start at 6.30pm in The Square, with attendees asked to arrive from 6.15pm ahead of the arrival of the Mayor of Shrewsbury, Councillor Bernie Bentick.

This event offers an opportunity for the community to pause, reflect and give thanks for the conversations, learning and awareness that the Knife Angel has inspired during its time in Shrewsbury.

The Knife Angel is much more than a sculpture. Created from thousands of weapons once designed to cause harm, it stands as a powerful symbol of hope, healing and change. It reminds us that knife crime is never just a headline or a statistic - it affects real people, families and communities. At the same time, it carries a message of possibility: that through compassion, understanding, opportunity and collective action, we can build safer communities and brighter futures. Its transformation from instruments of violence into a symbol of peace demonstrates that even from darkness, something hopeful can emerge.

Residents attending the vigil will also have the opportunity to write messages on reflection cards, available from Shrewsbury Town Council’s office, which will be displayed on the railings surrounding the sculpture as a lasting expression of hope, remembrance and community solidarity.