There are 15 knife disposal bins across Southend, Essex and Thurrock and they need a...

Published: 1:16 am February 25, 2022
Updated: 6:39 am October 8, 2025
Essex Police, The Vvu, The Police, Fire And Crime Commissioner For Essex And The Ben Kinsella Trust Are Teaming Up To Raise Awareness Of The Dangers Of Carrying A Knife By Launching A New Competition For Essex Secondary School Aged Children

There are 15 knife disposal bins across Southend, Essex and Thurrock and they need a revamp. The bins are very effective at collecting thousands of knives each year, they

  • Reduce the number of domestic and non-domestic knives in circulation by encouraging their owners to surrender them,
  • Provide a legitimate route for members of the public to dispose of any unwanted knives or other weapons,
  • Reinforce the message that illegal possession and use of knives is unacceptable and likely to lead to serious consequences for the individuals,
  • Contribute to reducing levels of violent crime across the county.

We are inviting young people to design a positive anti-knife poster with three winning designs, one from each authority, chosen to replace the existing knife bin livery and be the new design of the Essex knife bins.

The winning designs will be chosen by Brooke Kinsella from the Ben Kinsella Trust and their celebrity patron EastEnders Actress Louisa Lytton alongside Roger Hirst, PFCC for Essex and Essex Police Chief Constable BJ Harrington. 

The knife bin design competition is open to all secondary school aged pupils, and we hope any schools entering the competition will take the opportunity to make use of the resources at www.benkinsella.org.uk to run a lesson on knife crime, making the right choices and keeping safe.

Competition entries must be uploaded to the entry form at www.essexvvu.co.uk/competition by 5pm Friday 1 April. The three winners will be notified by the end of April. 

For full terms and conditions and further information visit www.essexvvu.co.uk/competition

We are your go-to destination for breaking UK news, real-life stories from communities across the country, striking images, and must-see video from the heart of the action.

Follow us on Facebook at for the latest updates and developing stories, and stay connected on X (Twitter) the for live coverage as news breaks across the UK.

SIGN UP NOW FOR YOUR FREE DAILY BREAKING NEWS AND PICTURES NEWSLETTER

Your information will be used in accordance with our Privacy Policy

YOU MIGHT LIKE