Be Part Of The Change: Safe Weapon Surrender Schemes This July
The James Brindley Foundation is proud to be part of the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime, collaborating with dedicated organisations across the country and the Home Office, to bring about positive change and shape future policy on serious youth violence.
This July, the UK government is running two big weapon surrender schemes to help reduce violence and make our streets safer for everyone. On top of these national efforts, there’s also an extended scheme happening in the areas most affected by knife crime: London, the West Midlands, and Greater Manchester. This scheme is a time limited amnesty and people should take advantage of the amnesty period.
Why Is this so important?
Getting illegal and dangerous weapons off our streets can make a real difference to community safety, reduce violence, and ultimately save lives. Whether you have an unwanted knife, sword, or other blade, this scheme provides a simple and effective way for you to contribute, offering safe and anonymous surrendering of any bladed weapon, including unwanted kitchen knives, ensuring their safe disposal and permanent destruction.
Got Questions? Here are the answers:
How do I safely transport a weapon?
Wrap it up securely in a sealed bag or box and go straight to the surrender point. If it’s supervised, don’t unwrap the item until told to do so by staff. If it’s an unsupervised amnesty bin you’re using, you must check the size of the opening on the bin you’re going to use before making the journey, to ensure your packaging is not too big.
What happens after 31st July?
After 1st August, it will become illegal to possess a ninja sword, with penalties of up to six months in prison. Under new rules, this could increase to two years – so it’s important to act now. Read more about Ronan’s Law here.
Can someone hand in a weapon on my behalf?
Yes, they can. Just make sure they follow the same safety steps. No questions will be asked about where the weapon came from.
Where can I surrender a weapon?
Apart from the national schemes, we have secure knife amnesty bins in the Walsall area. We currently have four locations, with plans to expand to twelve across the region. You can see all the sites here.
Want to learn more?
You can visit this page for more details about the government’s schemes. Or to find out more about our #saferstreets campaign, tap here. If you’d like to support our efforts or have any questions, our team is here and happy to chat – just get in touch.
Are you a local business or an individual looking to contribute to a bin in your area?
The James Brindley Foundation currently has four weapon surrender bins installed in Aldridge, Bloxwich, Palfrey and Caldmore. Our goal is to increase this to twelve, spread across the borough in local communities.
Please support our campaign #saferstreets to install bins in your area by contacting talk@jamesbrindleyfoundation.co.uk.
If you’re able to support us, please donate here.
