Anti-violence bee welcomed to Derbyshire

A thought-provoking anti-violence monument has arrived in Derbyshire ready to begin a county-wide tour this weekend.

The anti-violence bee arrived at the Joint Police and Fire Headquarters in Ripley this afternoon (Friday 25 November) to greetings by officers and staff, as well as force Chaplains who wished it well on its journey around the county. 

Whilst the bee is in Derbyshire, officers will be on hand to give advice, answer any questions and talk to visitors. The aim is to prevent violence, whatever it’s form, through a dedicated campaign which seeks to spread the anti-violence message across Derbyshire and beyond. It is hoped the bee will also get people thinking and talking about the issues affecting their communities and what they can do if they have concerns, visiting a number of public spaces and schools during its visit.

The visit follows the success of the knife angel’s visit to Derbyshire, which is made by the same company and started some really key conversations in communities.

Originally created for Manchester, the 11ft tall monument was created using various weapons, including knives and firearms, seized from the city’s streets. The monument represents a firm stance against all forms of violence and the visit is set to highlight the force’s dedication to preventing, and talking about, acts of violence.

Anyone who picks up one of these bees is encouraged to share their photos and engage with us on social media, tagging Derbyshire Constabulary and using the hashtag #BeeUnitedAgainstViolence.

Chief Superintendent Hayley Barnett, from Derbyshire Constabulary, was there to welcome the bee and said: “This is very much about education, this is about getting the message out there that, as a society, we will not tolerate violence in any form.

“Whether that’s domestic abuse, whether that’s violence against women or girls, or knife and gun crime which is very much about what this monument depicts.

“All of the guns and knives were recovered from the streets of Manchester, so, every one of those represents, for me, one life saved potentially and also preventing that impact on the families as well.

“So I think it’s a really important piece to get that message out there that we want to both reduce violence and absolutely preventing it in the first place, but actually where violence does take place we want people to have the confidence to come forward in the absolute knowledge and understanding that we will do everything we can to help that person and bring perpetrators to justice.

To see the full list of dates and locations, visit: Derbyshire preparing for anti-violence bee tour | Derbyshire Constabulary