Knife crime in Wellingborough falls by almost a third as campaigners say it's an 'excellent' achievement

Knife crime has declined by almost 30 percent in Wellingborough in the past year, as initiatives and organisations across the town’s hard work begins to pay off.

The news comes from the Office for National Statistics, which also states that Northamptonshire is the only area in the UK to see a decline in overall crime as nationally it rose by an average of 12.9 per cent.

Knife crime has been an ongoing issue, and the death of Dylan Holliday prompted a new body to be formed to help raise awareness and prevent such tragedies from repeating. That group is now almost five and a half thousand strong, and has made significant strides in making Wellingborough a safer place to live.

Off the Streets aims to ‘eradicate knife crime in Northants communities through the encouragement and utilisation of community initiatives and services’, with regular activities and outreach projects being provided to help educate local people about the impact that knife crime can have on the community.

The group’s co-founder Ravaun Jones said: “As Off the Streets, we believe it’s an excellent, excellent achievement.”

"It’s been very hard work trying to work with other organisations and authorities reducing the crime statistics for Northamptonshire

“However Wellingborough’s percentage dropping so much is really good.”

Off the Streets is hosting a year one overview and family event on December 3, which will highlight the impact that the organisation has had, and continues to have.

Ravaun added: “We’ll be talking about everything that’s been achieved, all our workshops, and the support we’ve received from multiple organisations and individuals.”

It is free to attend, and will include music, entertainment, food and drinks, beginning at midday and stretching until 5.30pm.

Organisations across Wellingborough were forced to take action on knife crime following the death of Dylan Holliday, who was stabbed on the estate in August 2021.

His killer, Jamal Waddell, was named after an appeal by this newspaper to the high court judge who oversaw a murder trial earlier this year.