Top chef joins fight against knife crime at school

4 hours ago

Debbie Tubbyand

Neve Gordon-Farleigh,Norfolk

News image — Galton Blackiston said he would tell his chef-friend James Martin about the knives

Qays Najm/BBC Galton Blackiston, a chef who is standing inside a food technology kitchen classroom. He is in chef whites and is looking directly at the camera, and appears to be holding two knives. — Galton Blackiston said he would tell his chef-friend James Martin about the knives

A Michelin star chef has said swapping to blunt-ended knives could be "revolutionary" in tackling knife crime among young people.

The knives have been introduced at Framingham Earl School near Norwich, as part of a campaign by the Joe Dix Foundation, and backed by television chef Galton Blackiston.

The utensil is designed in a way that reduces the chance of fatal injury if it falls into the wrong hands.

"It's a small step towards what we all want — safety in the school environment," said Blackiston.

Anti-knife crime charity, the Joe Dix Foundation, is named after Joe Dix, who was stabbed seven times during the aftermath of a drugs and cash burglary on the Mile Cross estate in Norwich in January 2022.

Alan Bliss, chairman of trustees at the foundation, said: "Most of the murders that are committed are committed with the use of an ordinary kitchen knife that people can get their hands on very simply.

"As far as the youth are concerned they are so easy to pick up and take. They take them to school and feel they are there for protection."

He continued: "If a famous chef like Galton Blackiston says [the blunt-ended knives] work perfectly well, then there isn't any reason why people need pointed knives in their kitchens."

Qays Najm/BBC Amelie and Tabitha. Two schoolgirls in their pale blue school uniform wearing red aprons. They are both looking directly at the camera and smiling. — Tabitha (right) said the blunt-ended knives were a "nice alternative"

Amelie, 12, said of the blunt-ended knives: "I think they are much better than the sharp edged knives because they are much less dangerous and I think they are better for everyone else and hopefully they will stop people from getting hurt across the country."

Whereas 13-year-old Tabitha said: "I think it's a really nice alternative. I would definitely buy them.

"I think it's really important; obviously you don't want anybody getting hurt."

Young children taking knives to school, BBC finds

Head teacher Becky Arnold said the children were well educated on how to avoid knife crime, thanks to the school's PSHE curriculum and external speakers.

"We were really privileged to have the foundation come in and do this work with the children."

Blackiston, who regularly features on BBC One's Saturday Kitchen, said he would take the idea to fellow chef James Martin.

"If we can all be aware in the home environment and change to these — it could be revolutionary," he said.

"Most chef's would be unaware about what's happening here.

"If I can do my little bit and show awareness to him, we could all be jumping on the bandwagon and supporting this."

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