Weekly update – 7th August 2022

Dear all,

We have all been reveling in the football results as the England Women’s team lifted the Euro 2022 trophy last Sunday – a great achievement and richly deserved, however not all the news recently has been good. None of us can fail to be touched by the tragic event in Boston, Lincs, with the death of the nine-year old girl, Lilia Valutyte, who was stabbed while playing in the street.

An individual has been arrested and further details will probably be forthcoming before you read this. In the meantime, I just wanted to focus on this issue of knife crime, not because I know anything about the subject, but because Maidstone is to host a display to raise awareness of the issue.

That display is in the form of a ‘Knife Angel’ that will be in Maidstone for a month from 5^th September, sited at Lighthouse Church (formerly St Faith’s) on Station Road. The ‘angel’ is an 8.5m high sculpture, designed and created using over 100,000 knives surrendered in nationwide amnesties in 2015/16 and stands as a monument against violence and aggression – it was made at the British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry and has been touring the country.

Volunteers are being sought to be on hand for an hour or so at a time to hand out information and to be a welcome face to those visiting. If you think that you might be able to help, please contact Nigel Downes at nigel.downes@onemaidstone.com.

Blessings,

Rev Chris