Community comes together for walk of reflection and peace

Dozens of people came to the square outside Primark in Walsall on Thursday afternoon to join a walk along Digbeth and Park Street in Walsall town centre to join the Faith Walk.

Led by Mark Brindley, the leader of the James Brindley Foundation, and faith leaders from across Walsall, it was a chance for both those of faith and those of none to come together in peace and pause to reflect on the effects of knife crime and violence across the borough.

The walk, which was organised by Black Country Innovate and The James Brindley Foundation, took the participants, which included the Mayor of Walsall Councillor Chris Towe, up through the town centre to the Knife Angel on Gallery Square.

It was a diverse group who took in the walk, with members of Muslim, Christian, Sikh and other faiths all mingling together with members of the police, council officials and people who had heard about the walk and had come to show their support.

Among those taking part was Rev. Jim Trood, rector of St Matthew's Church in Walsall.

He said the walk was a powerful way for the community to speak out against knife crime and other violent crimes.

He said: "It really shows that we don't want anything like knife crime and we are intolerant to knife crime and other crimes and want this to be a safe place for everybody, irrespective of faith or religion.

"We are talking about values that are common to all faiths and humanity in general and about the Knife Angel, which is absolutely spectacular, but also very sobering and a powerful statement.

"I hope today is able to make everybody aware that there is a national issue with knife crime, not just here in Walsall."

The walk was led from the front by Mark Brindley, whose son James died after being stabbed on June 23, 2017, and who was carrying a torch with knives used as the wings on the outside.

It took the participants into the square where the angel was standing, lit in purple as the sun went down and the night started to draw in, where a two minute silence was held, followed by speeches from the mayor, from Walsall Council deputy leader Garry Perry and from Mark Brindley.

There were also faith leader reflections from Christian faith leader Ricky Otto and Muslim faith leader Mustaqeem Shah.

The event was another step by Mark Brindley to bring communities together and he said the event was a great way to raise awareness in the town centre.

He said: "Faith leaders have a pivotal role to play in bringing communities together and the faith walk is all about bringing communities together and working together for the right sort of outcome.

"The route took us past plenty of people on the throughfare and going down Park Street was significant as it's all about raising awareness around people who just going about their daily lives and it's easy to forget why we're here without the presence of the angel.

"I think the angel has had an incredibly powerful impact and the social media around it has been overwhelmingly positive, so the community of Walsall have welcomed it and it is working for a good outcome."

Councillor Perry walked at the front with Mark Brindley and said the walk was about faith and belief and, with that, hope.

He said: "Having the Knife Angel in Walsall has provoked a lot of debate and a lot of conversation, which was the desired effect, and today's walk is about faith and belief and, hopefully, our communities will have a better future that we can turn young people and those affected by knife crime away from it.

"The statue has had an effect and when it gets to night time and the lights go on, it gets even more striking, and I think the debate in our communities has become stronger because of it, so today was a good thing to do."

The Knife Angel can be seen in Gallery Square until Thursday December 28.