Throughout July, knife crime activist and member of the government’s coalition, Faron Paul, will drive across London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester in a purpose-built and fully secure van, encouraging young people to hand over dangerous and illegal weapons safely, News Cover reports, citing UK government.
This is the government’s most ambitious weapons surrender scheme to date and will also see a major expansion of anonymous surrender bins in partnership with knife crime charity Words4Weapons. The Home Office is funding 37 new surrender bins across London, the West Midlands and Greater Manchester – the three highest areas of knife crime in England and Wales.
Part of the government’s Plan for Change, these initiatives will give young people more options where they can securely hand over weapons, without needing to go to a police station, helping to keep our streets safer and take more weapons out of communities.
Young people will also be encouraged to hand in all types of weapons, including Ninja swords – which will be banned in full from 1 August.
