Family of murder victim James Brindley launch knife amnesty bin in Walsall
It's one of 12 bins The James Brindley Foundation plans to install.
Last updated 24th Feb 2023
The first of twelve knife amnesty bins is being installed in Walsall today by the family of James Brindley.
The 26-year-old was stabbed through his heart in an unprovoked attack in Aldridge on 23rd June 2017.
Ammar Kahrod, from Aldridge, was jailed for at least 17 years for his murder in 2018.
As part of The James Brindley Foundation's #SaferStreets campaign, the bin is being unveiled outside Aldridge Social Club on the High Street.
It means people can safely dispose of bladed weapons, which will then be removed by professionals.
Mark Brindley, James’ dad, said: “We believe our streets are safer with knives in amnesty bins, rather than in pockets.
“There is currently only one bin in Walsall, but we believe more are needed which is why we launched our Safer Streets campaign.
“If we make the bins more accessible for people by placing them within communities across the borough, we make it easier for people to legally and safely dispose of bladed weapons.
“Just having a bin to collect knives is a wasted opportunity, we also want to engage and gather information, especially from young people.
“We have designed the bins in a unique way, so they’re taller and accessible from three directions to create a greater presence in the community.
“Our bins will have a QR code on them so it’s easy for people to communicate with us in an anonymous way, so we can direct our services where they’re most needed.
“We initially identified 12 locations across the borough to place the bins, at a cost of around £18,000, plus extra for installation and maintenance.
“So far, we’ve bought seven of them, with the help of Walsall Council, businesses and community groups.
“We still need to raise £7,500 to buy the final five and to get them out on the streets, saving lives, as quickly as possible."
The James Brindley Foundation already runs the Full Circle Programme - an accredited educational programme, designed to prevent young people from falling into antisocial or criminal lifestyles, by tackling the root causes of youth violence, as well as knife crime.
People are being invited to go online and tell the Foundation where and when they feel unsafe, so the information can be used to identify hotspots and direct services to promote safety.