A WEAPONS awareness campaign roared into life following the construction of the four-metre Coleg Cambria Knife Dragon.
Four Years of Hard Work
After almost four years of hard work by lecturer John Freeman and students, the hand-crafted statue of a dragon protecting a small child has taken its place outside Coleg Cambria’s Bersham Road. The project is a partnership between Wrexham County Borough Council and North Wales Police.
The task now will be to raise the plinth of Welsh stone slate to form a castle alongside a “river of knives”, due for completion in November. At night, the dragon will light up in red, white, and green colours. This is a symbol of Wales and a reminder of the devastating impact of weapons crime on communities.
“It has taken many days and weeks of dedication. The amazing support and skill of our learners have brought the sculpture to life,” said John. “The staff have playfully named the dragon ‘JohnFree’ as I’ve spent every hour I haven’t been lecturing in the workshop. We’ve safely shaped a range of confiscated weapons, including kitchen knives and samurai swords. We also used knuckle dusters and bayonets, and welded them onto steel frames to form the main body and head.
“The wings use wire mesh and strips and took a long time to finish, but it’s all finally complete. We are so happy with how it looks, almost identical to the model I had initially designed. The group is so glad it will represent such an important cause.”
“A Beacon for Knife Awareness”
Karl Jackson, Assistant Principal for the Institute of Technology and Site Lead at Bersham Road, added: “The finished article is quite breathtaking. It will be a beacon not only for knife awareness but also for the talent and skill of the students who played their part in its construction, which all took place with health and safety as the number one priority.
“The sculpture will stand proudly here at Bersham Road as a symbol for generations to come. We have built it entirely from weapons that the North Wales Police had collected through amnesty or confiscation. Several thousand have gone into the construction of the knife dragon, and it is quite staggering when you reflect on that. What a powerful message this now sends out.”
“An Issue We Take Extremely Seriously”
District Inspector for Wrexham City Rhodri Ifans said while knife crime offences remain thankfully low in Wrexham, it is essential “for us all to act to drive them down still further. Knives are dangerous, and there is no place for them on our streets. Every incident involving a knife has consequences for all those involved, and so this is an issue we take extremely seriously.’
“As such, it is vital that we create opportunities to highlight knife crime and what we can do to prevent it. We all have a responsibility to educate anyone who may think it acceptable to carry a knife, and the Knife Dragon offers a way for us to work with our partners on a project that might just prevent another tragedy. Made with weapons we have seized from our streets, they will never again be in a position to harm anyone. We and our partners will continue to educate, enforce, and act to bring those involved in this type of offending to justice.”
“Devastating Impact”
Lead Member for Partnership and Community Safety at Wrexham County Borough Council, Cllr Paul Roberts, added, “This striking Knife Dragon will serve as a reminder of the devastating impact that knife crime and serious violence can have on local communities and families. Following the Knife Angel’s visit to Wrexham in October 2022, the Knife Dragon will provide a permanent focus point around keeping knife crime low in Wrexham.”
For the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria, visit cambria.ac.uk.
If you have concerns about knife crime, call North Wales Police on 101 or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Alternatively, visit fearless.org/en/give-info.
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