Safer City: Bin The Blade Campaign

The Safer City: Bin The Blade Campaign is a grass roots campaign with a clear goal to make our cities safer by standing for:

• Stronger laws surrounding the sale and purchasing of knives.

• Stronger action to enable the safe and lawful disposal of unwanted and illegal knives, whilst providing first aid equipment, training for those most at risk of facing knife crime and where appropriate support for families and victims of knife crime.   

• Stronger prevention by offering safe and real alternatives to criminal activity and knife crime.

Knife crime is a multifaceted issue that impacts us all. We believe that it is no one organisations responsibility but rather that it takes a whole, one city vision to make our streets safer. 

We are inviting individuals, charities, community leaders, businesses, politicians, teachers, police officers and everyone in between to join together as we campaign for a safer, knife free, city. It is time to Bin the Blade. 

 Core Campaign Actions

Stronger Regulation

The maximum penalty for an adult carrying a knife is 4 years in prison and an unlimited fine. You’ll get a prison sentence if you’re convicted of carrying a knife more than once.

Current legislation surrounding the sale, hire and possession of knives in the United Kingdom is reasonably clear. However there is significant room within the legislation for the continued trade and ownership of non-banned large knives by those with solely illegal or dangerous intent.

It is illegal to:

• bring into the UK, sell, hire, lend or give someone a banned knife or weapon
• carry any knife in public without good reason, unless it has a manual folding blade less than 3 inches long
• sell a knife to anyone under the age of 18, unless it has a manual folding blade less than 3 inches long
• use any knife in a threatening way

See banned items here

Our View:

It is right and proper that Knives most associated with violent and criminal acts are banned, including Disguised knives, Flick knives and Zombie knives.

Under legislation banning certain knives or weapons, a blade upto 50cm is permitted for sale and ownership. It is our view that whilst these knives are not banned under current legislation they hold no ‘real world’ purpose or value. That is to say they are neither design nor suitable for legitimate purposes such as country pursuits, culinary service, religious observance, artistic or historical importance.  

Most commonly these are mass produced, large and fixed bladed weapons, such as sheath knives, swords and machetes. Whilst it is illegal to carry these in public without good reason, minimal to no legislation restricts the sale, purchase, or registration of these weapons.

It is our view that more stringent regulation should be introduced at point of sale,

requiring of the purchaser:

1. A clear declaration of proof of identity, age and address
2. Intent of use statement
3. Acknowledgement of the law surrounding ownership and possession of knives
4. Mandatory consent that above details maybe passed onto law enforcement

Requiring of the seller, whether physical or online:

1. To not withhold from Law enforcement personal information appertaining to the purchaser as it relates to the purchase of knives linked to criminal activity.
2. To take every reasonable step to dissuade the sale of knives to anyone who may go on to carry out a banned activity.
3. To ensure that the purchaser meets all requirements of legitimate sale as detailed above.

Stronger action

It is clear that action must be taken to reduce the number of knives already on our streets as well as upskill key citizens such as teenagers, gang members, teachers and community leaders with the knowledge and resources to provide life saving support when stabbings occur; as well as resourcing ongoing care following incidents of knife crime.

To that end we are campaigning for:

Our View:

1. The introduction and strategic placement of ‘Knife Bins’ in such locations as schools, colleges and parks to enable the safe disposal of knives which risk being used in banned activities.
2. The introduction of catastrophic bleed kits in all schools, colleges and potential high-risk areas such as pubs and clubs.
3. Emergency first aid training for catastrophic bleeding and knife inflicted wounds for all teachers in schools and colleges. In addition, first aid training for young people and community members to be made freely available.
4. Further investment into community, family and victim support programmes.

Stronger prevention

The best way to tackle knife crime is to prevent the crime for taking place in the first place. It is our view that through the prevention and diversion of potential offenders away from a life conducive to illegal activities is key to tackling knife crime.

Therefore we are campaigning for:

Our View:

1. The introduction of Early Intervention mentoring programmes for at risk young people. Providing the mental, emotional, social, and physical support to enable well rounded citizens.
2. Greater investment into skills, training and apprenticeship opportunities for at risk young people to be introduced. Offering clear and real-world pathways from school into meaningful work.

Support the Campaign

1) Write to Your Councillors, Mayor, PCC or MP

Click here for a template to send to your representative. 

2) Read and Sign the