Survivor of the horrific knife attack in Southport last summer, Leanne Lucas, is today launching ‘Let’s Be Blunt,’ a nationwide campaign aimed at addressing knife violence. Her campaign calls for the widespread adoption of rounded-tip kitchen knives as a practical step that parents, carers, homeowners and businesses can take to save lives.
The campaign launches during Knife Crime Awareness Week (19–25 May), which is organised by the Ben Kinsella Trust, a knife crime prevention charity, and sponsored by Axon, the leading global developer of public safety technology.
Leanne – a primary school and children’s yoga teacher – will be speaking tonight (Wednesday, 21 May) at the Knife Crime Awareness Week parliamentary reception alongside the Home Secretary Yvette Cooper and Policing Minister Diana Johnson. The Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips will be attending, as well as cross-party MPs and knife crime prevention advocates.
The latest ONS homicide statistics (March 23 – March 2024) showed there were 262 murders involving a knife or sharp instrument in England and Wales – and sadly, 17 of the victims were children under the age of 16 (link). Of the weapons used in these murders, kitchen knives were responsible for 44% of those knife-related homicides (link).
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The urgency to act is clear, and the campaign calls on households, retailers, manufacturers, and policymakers to adopt a simple but potentially life-saving change: switching from pointed kitchen knives to safer, rounded-tip alternatives. These designs are just as functional for cooking, but far less likely to be misused as weapons.
Leanne has been speaking with the Government, local councils in Sefton, police forces, and knife manufacturers, including The Rayware Group, to spread awareness and encourage people and decision makers to make the switch to safer designed knives.
Knife Crime Awareness Week takes place each year and brings together a wide range of organisations – including charities, community groups, police forces, youth workers, schools, and parents – with the shared goal of tackling knife crime.
The Ben Kinsella Trust is a charity established in 2008 by Brooke Kinsella MBE and her parents, George and Deborah, in response to the tragic murder of their 16-year-old son, Ben Kinsella, in Islington, London. The Ben Kinsella Trust prevents knife crime through education and campaigning and strives for a society free from knife crime.
The week is sponsored by Axon, the leading global developer of personal and public safety technology. For over 20 years, Axon has partnered with every police force in the UK and has been committed to protecting lives by developing innovative products that enhance public safety.
Leanne Lucas, founder of Let’s be Blunt, said: “The horrific events in Southport on the 29th of July 2024 changed my life forever. The pain and heartbreak that the families involved have had to endure is unimaginable. If I can help to ensure this doesn’t happen to another family again, I will. When people ask if there is anything they can do to help me, my answer is clear and comes from the heart: swap your pointed kitchen knives for rounded ones. Pointed knives, readily available in most kitchens, pose a very real risk of being tragically used as weapons on our streets. A simple yet effective change, replacing our kitchen knives with rounded ones, can remove this potential for danger. If we all make a small change in our homes, together we can play a powerful role in preventing future tragedies before they unfold.”
Crime and Policing Minister, Dame Diana Johnson: “We have been clear nothing is off the table when it comes to getting lethal blades off our streets and keeping people safe. We are actively exploring options and pursuing changes in this area, and I will be meeting with retailers and manufacturers to develop next steps on the promotion of rounded tipped knives.
“Our mission to halve knife crime over a decade will be delivered through tougher enforcement and stronger prevention. We cannot do this alone, which is why we formed the Coalition to Tackle Knife Crime as a platform for genuine collaboration, so that together we can tackle the scourge of serious violence and save young lives.”
Patrick Green, CEO of the Ben Kinsella Trust, said: “This Knife Crime Awareness Week, we are proud to support Leanne and her ‘Let’s be Blunt’ campaign. This important initiative demonstrates that tackling knife crime requires collective action, with every individual having a part to play. By embracing small, practical changes, like adopting rounded-tip knives in our kitchens, we can all contribute to building a safer society.”
Alex Lowe, Axon Regional Director UK and Ireland, said: “We know the toll knife crime takes on families and communities. But we also know what’s possible when people align around a shared mission and the determination to create lasting change. At Axon, we believe in doing the hard work, innovating, collaborating, and finding real solutions. When technology, community, policing, and policy come together, that alignment becomes a force multiplier. That’s why we’re proud to stand with the Ben Kinsella Trust. Ben was just walking home when his life was taken. We do this so today’s young people, kids like Ben, can grow up in a world where coming home safe isn’t the exception, it’s expected.”
Jamie O’Brien, CEO of The Rayware Group said: “The Rayware Group is pleased to support the Ben Kinsella Trust and Leanne Lucas’ ‘Let’s Be Blunt’ campaign in their mission to promote rounded knives for kitchen use. As part of the housewares industry, we believe that small design changes can significantly reinforce safety for all. The simple rounding of the tip supports its primary function as a culinary tool without compromise on effectiveness. We believe our Viner’s Assure range aligns perfectly with the campaign’s ethos – that knives are designed for kitchen use and not to be mis-used. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a shift in peers looking to add safer alternatives to tipped knives. We’re committed to driving this initiative forward as a manufacturer, as an industry and as responsible members of our community. As an industry, particularly during Knife Crime Awareness week, we’re here to provide consumer solutions with no compromise and to raise awareness. Awareness of the issues, awareness of the availability of safer options, and encourage real change in every home.”
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