Marking One Year of ‘Drop the Knife’ at the Old Needleworks

I joined residents and campaigners at The Old Needleworks to celebrate the first anniversary of Drop the Knife on the premises—a Redditch-based initiative tackling knife crime through education, mentoring and self-defence. Founded by Pete Martin, the grassroots project has worked with thousands of young people to promote safety and resilience. The event featured martial arts demonstrations, bleed kit training and community activities. I also announced a £10,000 funding boost from the Morrisons Foundation to support expanded outreach. I praised the initiative’s impact and reaffirmed my commitment to building a safer Redditch through local action.