A permanent knife surrender bin has been installed at Wiltshire FA’s HQ, as they work with local police and support activity to remove knives from our communities.

Wiltshire FA is proud to be working with Wiltshire Police and the Devizes Neighbourhood Policing Team to support Sceptre, an early intervention, education and enforcement campaign which aims to prevent, disrupt and educate around knife crime.

With no permanent knife surrender bin installed in Devizes, the installation of one at Green Lane provides a discreet and safe way to dispose of knives and weapons, which in turn could be instrumental in changing circumstances and life outcomes.

Working alongside local police, Wiltshire FA feel a responsibility to do all they can to combat crime and provide opportunities, particularly for young people, that take them away from situations that can lead to harm.

Sadly, statistics released last year highlighted offences involving knives and firearms increased in Wiltshire, bringing the county in line with the national picture. Having a permanent knife surrender bin at Green Lane will allow people, who may be reluctant to attend police stations, to hand over weapons completely anonymously. Nationally, there have been several knife surrenders run by police forces across the country, which have resulted in hundreds of weapons being deposited.

PC Sarah Hardwidge from the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Devizes said, “We hope that by installing the surrender bin it will provide a visible reassurance to the community, that Wiltshire Police and partners are proactive and preventative in their approach to tackling knife crime.

“This is part of a variety of methods we are utilising to address violent crime and we are pleased to be able to offer members of the public a safe option, if they find themselves in a situation where they make the right decision to surrender a weapon.

“We’d like to thank Wiltshire FA for facilitating the knife surrender bin, it seems a logical place to install it in the town, it’s a neutral venue which is easily accessible.”

As local police teams react to what the evidence is presenting about the conditions that lead too often to young people carrying a knife, Wiltshire FA is pleased to be supporting the education and activity to reach those, who can be influenced, before it’s too late.

Wiltshire FA is dedicated to supporting community initiatives which work to increase the safety and wellbeing of our local community. Late last year, Green Lane played host to the Roots & Shoots Youth Engagement programme for the third time. The 15-week football programme promotes social inclusion and offers personal development to prevent youth crime.

Maria, Safeguarding Officer at Wiltshire FA said: “We are proud to support Wiltshire Police and the Devizes Neighbourhood Policing Team in their work to reduce crime in the county.

“The safety and wellbeing of our community, particularly vulnerable young people, is hugely important to us. By having a permanent knife surrender bin at Green Lane, we hope to provide a location where people feel able to get rid of dangerous weapons anonymously, seeing them removed from the streets permanently.”

As well as the installation of surrender bins, Sceptre also includes targeted searches, extra patrols and educational sessions which highlight it is not safe to carry a knife and encourage young people to report through their school, the police or through FEARLESS (the youth arm of Crimestoppers), if someone they know is carrying a knife. Knife crime ruins lives.