Sanctuary Space

Knife crime in the UK is on the rise and it is becoming clear that young people need an escape from the worries of London streets. The Southwark Peace Garden aims to provide that escape.

According to the Home Office, a total of 14,800 knife-related crimes were recorded in 2018-19, a massive 80% increase from 2013-14. The problem is worse in urban areas, with the majority of the attacks occurring in London.

Many of Walworth Methodist Church’s members have been directly affected by knife crime and its consequences. They wanted to create a safe place where those who had lost loved ones could go, but which will also serve as a general space for community use.

Located in the Methodist Church’s garden just off Walworth Road, the Peace Garden came into being after Abdulrahman Musa-Johnson was attacked in an alleyway near his home. With the help of local residents, members of his church, representatives from the police, local council and an anti-knife forum, Abdul aimed to create a inclusive amenity that could act as a statement of the community’s commitment to taking action.  

The Garden is hidden down the Walworth Road, in the centre of the Methodist Church building. Peace is definitely a key element, and the hustle and bustle from the main road just outside is unnoticeable from the garden itself. As if often the case, the church provides sanctuary away from the stresses of London’s crowds and hectic pace of life.

Although funding issues have led to the original plans for the garden not yet being fully completed, the array of greenery still serves its tranquil purpose.

The original vision for it included a sculpture made of some from the metals of weapons seized by or handed in to the police during knife amnesties. Although it has taken slightly longer than planned, the sculpture is due to be unveiled in 2020.

“I think for some of these local kids, it’s about opening their eyes to what they can do…there are so many opportunities for them” – Kate Sedwell 

Kate Sedwell, a member of the committee for the garden, said: “With projects like this, it takes lots of little parts to come together. I think one of the hardest things for grass roots projects such as ours is getting funding.”

Despite this, the garden seems almost unaffected by the funding issues and still serves its purpose of helping provide a sanctuary space for the local community.

The garden began crowdfunding in 2018, with the aim of creating a tranquil hub for remembrance, education, community events and more. Community is a key theme, and it would not have been possible to open without the help of local people and institutions.

London College of Communication has played its part, with students from LCC designing the Southwark Peace Garden website and creating a data report, while others from Camberwell College of Arts helped with designing the actual garden. Other local groups helped provide labour, plants and the concept for the knife sculpture. 

The Golden Oldies, another community group which LCC’s Talent Works initiative is involvement with “gave moral support and probably a bit of bossing around, which was very sweet,” said Kate.

She explained how community is a key factor of the garden, particularly helping children. “I think for some of these local kids, it’s about opening their eyes to what they can do…there are so many opportunities for them.” 

One year after its formal opening, the garden is providing educational programmes for the local community. Kate continued: “We obviously want to sustain the garden so it’s a nice place to be, but we want to reach out into the local community and help kids that maybe aren’t in school.”

The garden recently hosted Street Doctors, a group who teach young people life-saving skills. The group gave the young people who attended some basic medical training, including advice on how to help stab victims. Kate hopes it could potentially pave the way for anyone interested in becoming future paramedics. 

Despite the challenges faced in getting it completed, with the help of other local organisations, the garden has been already been a success. A high percentage of local children and young people have taken part in its programmes, with 50% of the 14-year-olds who have visited returning to join in with further activities.

Providing young people with this kind of support is crucial. Ministry of Justice figures for 2013/14 show that 1,132 young people aged under 18 were convicted for knife-crime offences, while 39 of the possession cautions issued were for children aged 10 or 11. Projects such as the Southwark Peace Garden can only have a positive effect on tackling the problem.

All pictures courtesy of Laura Lewis.