Museum displays Holly’s hard work
THE work of a Sudbury anti-knife crime campaigner is appearing as part of a new exhibition at a London museum, writes Neil Bracegirlde.
Suffolk’s Bin a Blade campaign, which was orchestrated by Holly Watson, features at the V&A Museum of Childhood, along with the teenager’s website – idontcarryaknife.org.
Former Sudbury Upper School student Holly set up the website following the death of her 23-year-old brother Lewis, who died in Sudbury in 2009, after being stabbed.
She also spearheaded the county’s knife amnesty, which saw more than 6,000 knives handed in last year, and continues to see knives and bladed weapons deposited at bins located at police stations in Suffolk.
“I was surprised to hear that the projects had been chosen for the display, especially in London where other people have been working and campaigning to stop knife crime,” said Holly, right, from First Avenue.
“More than 400,000 people visit the museum every year so it’s exciting to think that so many people will see the display and the consequences of knife crime for themselves.
“If just one of those visitors decides not to carry a knife, it will have made a difference.”
The 19-year-old’s initiatives are included in the Teen Knife Crime exhibition – questioning whether knife crime is on the rise – at the museum in Bethnal Green.
The display, which will run until July next year, also looks at the reasons why young people carry knives and the attempts made by people like Holly to prevent them doing so.
Suffolk’s Chief Constable Simon Ash said he had recently met with Holly to discuss ways to build on the success of her campaign.
“While knife crime is not a significant problem in Suffolk, we have still managed to have an impact in the county with so many knives handed in and I am pleased that we are now reaching other audiences with the message not to carry a knife,” he said.
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Weather for Sudbury
Tuesday 18 June 2013
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Temperature: 14 C to 22 C
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