Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden has made tackling knife crime a key priority for his first term, committing to a unique approach that places lived experience at the forefront of efforts to prevent violence.
Central to this approach is the involvement of Community Ambassadors, individuals with personal experiences of knife crime, who are using their stories to shape policy and engage with vulnerable young people.
This approach, pioneered in Nottinghamshire, has been instrumental in tackling knife crime by integrating the voices of those with lived experience into crime prevention strategies.
This innovative method has proven so effective that it is now being adopted in other areas, including Leicestershire, as part of broader efforts to combat serious violence.
This approach is part of a broader commitment to making Nottinghamshire’s streets safer. The Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP), in collaboration with Nottinghamshire Police and the National Justice Museum, has produced several impactful videos that showcase the devastating consequences of knife crime.
One such video, featuring the family of Danny Castledine, is part of the Nottingham Space alongside the National Justice Museum’s award-winning Choices and Consequences exhibit.
Twenty-two-year-old Danny was tragically stabbed to death in a random attack while on a trip to Amsterdam. Danny, from Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was preparing to travel to a music festival in Belgium when he was assaulted and stabbed 44 times by his attacker.
Danny’s death devastated his family, who have since worked tirelessly to raise awareness of knife crime and its devastating impact, including being interviewed as part of the Nottingham Space at the National Justice Museum.
Chloe Castledine, founder of The Danny C Foundation, said: “The consequences of knife crime are catastrophic, and cause a level of pain that is permanent, perpetual, and simply inhuman to feel.
“This is why our film within the Nottingham Space, at the National Justice Museum is necessary and so important for those thinking of carrying a knife to see.
“It contains a level of raw and gut-wrenching emotion that is too powerful to be ignored.
“It is something that goes far beyond what is covered in temporary news articles that hop from one tragedy to the next.
“We can only hope that resources such as Choices and Consequences, The Nottingham space and all the other brilliant work that is taking place across the county will challenge perpetrators’ naivety to the life-altering consequences they are not only inflicting onto others.”
This immersive workshop educates young people about the dangers of carrying knives and allows them to hear first-hand the emotional toll such violence takes on families. The space includes powerful testimonies from local families who have lost loved ones to knife crime, bringing the harsh reality of these tragedies closer to home.
Nottinghamshire’s Community Ambassadors programme is one of the key tools in this effort. Ambassadors who have experienced knife crime personally play a vital role in influencing young people and informing crime prevention policies.
Their involvement ensures that the strategy is not just theoretical but grounded in real-world experiences, resonating with those most at risk.
Gary Godden, Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "I found the exhibit incredibly moving. Hearing directly from the family and friends of victims had a powerful impact on me, so I can only imagine the difference this experience would have on someone thinking of carrying a knife.
“Knife crime is a serious challenge in Nottinghamshire, and we must approach it from every possible angle.
“By involving Community Ambassadors and using their lived experiences, we are offering a powerful resource for young people who may be at risk.
“The Choices and Consequences exhibit, and our work with the National Justice Museum, bring the devastating reality of knife crime to life. I believe this combination of education and experience will make a real difference in deterring young people from picking up a knife."
Commissioner Godden’s commitment to tackling knife crime also ties into the Serious Violence Duty, part of the wider work of the Nottingham and Nottinghamshire VRP. This duty ensures that all relevant public bodies, including police, local authorities, and health services, work together to tackle serious violence, including knife crime and provide education within the public bodies.
By pooling resources and expertise, the VRP takes a comprehensive approach, targeting both prevention and enforcement.
Chief Inspector Karl Thomas, Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime lead, said: “The Choices and Consequences exhibition offers such a powerful way of showing young people the devastating impact knife crime can have.
“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has come forward to share their own stories of loss as part of the Nottingham Space.
“That includes the Castledine family, who showed incredible strength in speaking to us about Danny’s death, ahead of the last Sceptre knife crime week of action, back in May, and at the Impact event in July.
“Hearing the first-hand experiences of people who have lost loved ones really hits home just how much damage this senseless crime can cause.
“Each of the people featured in the exhibition were from Nottinghamshire, with their tragic deaths all offering important lessons that children attending the workshop can take into their own lives.
“Educating young people about the consequences of carrying a blade so they make the right choices is crucial to reducing offending and preventing these crimes from happening in the first place.
“Engaging with people at a young age about knife crime so they fully understand the impact their decisions can have is a key part of this, which is why these early intervention sessions are so important.”
The Nottingham Space and Choices and Consequences exhibit have been central to Nottinghamshire’s knife crime prevention efforts. Developed in partnership with the Ben Kinsella Trust, the exhibit is aimed at young people, from primary school age upwards, and tackles themes such as the legal consequences of carrying a knife, the emotional impact of violence, and making safe choices.
Patrick Green, CEO of The Ben Kinsella Trust, said: "Using lived experience is the most powerful tool we have to educate young people about the dangers of knife crime.
“When they hear directly from someone who has been impacted by knife violence, it hits home in a way that no statistic or lecture can.
“The Ben Kinsella Trusts Choices and Consequences Exhibition, which operates in partnership with the National Justice Museum, provides a safe space for young people to confront their fears and understand the devastating consequences of carrying a knife.
“By breaking down the stigma and fostering open conversations, we can help reduce the fear associated with knife crime and empower them to make safer informed choices."
Over 2,000 young people in Nottingham have taken part in the workshops since their inception, and they have been praised for changing attitudes towards knife crime.
The workshops are not only informative but highly interactive, with young people able to select the stories that resonate most with them, helping them to understand the very real dangers associated with knife crime.
By hearing from the families of victims, participants are confronted with the long-term consequences of their choices in a way that is both personal and impactful.
Gill Brailey, Director of Learning at the National Justice Museum said: ‘Taking part in an anti-knife crime workshop is proven to change the attitudes of young people towards carrying a knife.
“Our aim would be for all Nottinghamshire young people to experience Choices and Consequences or any of the other excellent anti-knife crime work happening across the city and county.”
Alongside these educational efforts, the Commissioner recently supported the National Knife Amnesty, which encourages members of the public to surrender knives anonymously. By removing dangerous weapons from circulation, the amnesty plays a vital role in reducing the likelihood of knife-related incidents on Nottinghamshire’s streets.
For more information on the role of Community Ambassadors, visit Community Ambassadors | Violence Reduction Unit (nottsvrp.co.uk) or contact vrp@notts.police.uk
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