Heartbreaking Knife Crime Stories Brought to Life in New Nottingham Workshop
The raw, emotional accounts of Nottinghamshire families ripped apart by knife crime are now being used to educate and warn young people in a powerful new workshop.
Through candid videos, mothers, sisters, fathers, and daughters share their pain and loss. Their goal: to bring the harsh reality of knife crime close to home and stop more tragedy striking local families.
Introducing The Nottingham Space: Real Stories, Real Impact
The ‘Nottingham Space’ is an extension of the National Justice Museum’s award-winning Choices and Consequences workshop. It’s the product of a strong partnership between Nottinghamshire Police, Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry and her Violence Reduction Unit, and the National Justice Museum.
Julie Jones, mother of 17-year-old Ezekiel Clarke, who was fatally stabbed in Radford in 2020, said:
“We’re families, we’re in pain and it’s awful. It’s a horrible feeling. I know grieving is grieving but they weren’t ill, they weren’t sick, they lost their life through somebody’s choice. Somebody made a decision to do that, and if they’d not, they’d probably still be here today—living their life and having fun.”
Lisa Kilkenny, mum of 16-year-old Joseph Whitchurch from Stapleford who also died in 2020, added:
“If a knife is produced, there is somebody not going home. Broken bones mend, but to have this, it’s just a devastating effect.”
Remembering Seven Lives Lost to Knife Crime
The Nottingham Space features testimonies from families and friends of seven young Nottinghamshire victims:
- Byron Griffin, 22, East Leake (Ilkeston, 2021)
- Joseph Whitchurch, 16, Stapleford (2020)
- Ezekiel Clarke, 17, Radford (2020)
- Lyrico Steede, 17, Bulwell (2018)
- Johnny Parker, 43, Hyson Green (2015)
- Joshua Bradley, 19, Bilborough (2015)
- Nathan Somers, 19, Newark (2012)
Powerful Workshop Aims to Save Lives
Since June 2019, the Choices and Consequences workshop, held at the National Justice Museum’s Victorian police station, has educated thousands of local schoolchildren for free. It follows the trailblazing model pioneered by The Ben Kinsella Trust in London, named after the 16-year-old knife crime victim.
Police and Crime Commissioner Caroline Henry said:
“Hearing first-hand what it is like to lose a loved one to knife crime really makes you stop and think what it would mean to you if such a devastating incident happened to one of your family members.”
Superintendent Kathryn Craner, Nottinghamshire Police’s knife crime lead, stressed the impact of the new showpiece:
“Hearing first-hand experiences of people who have lost loved ones really hits home just how much damage this senseless crime causes. Educating young people about the consequences of carrying a blade is crucial to preventing these crimes.”
Gill Brailey, Director of Learning at the National Justice Museum, said families’ contributions would help change young people’s attitudes to knife carrying and its deadly consequences.
Thanks to funding from the Home Office, Nottinghamshire Police, local councils, and others, schools and youth groups can visit the Nottingham Space free of charge starting this December.
For more info, visit nationaljusticemuseum.org.uk, email [email protected], or call 0115 993 9811.
