A heroic dance teacher from Southport, who survived a multiple stabbing while protecting children, is now spearheading a national campaign to change the design of kitchen knives sold across the UK.
A Teacher's Bravery and a New Mission
Leanne Lucas, 36, was the first person to dial 999 during the horrific knife attack in Southport in July last year. Despite being stabbed five times herself, she managed to help shield several children from the assailant, Axel Rudakubana. The attack tragically claimed the lives of three young girls: six-year-old Bebe King, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar. Eight other children and two adults were seriously injured.
Speaking ahead of an anti-knife crime conference in London, Leanne explained how her direct experience fuels her new mission. She stated, "As my experience demonstrates, knife crime can happen to anyone, anywhere. When people ask me what they can do, my answer is simple but powerful: exchange your pointed tip kitchen knives for rounded ones."
The 'Let's Be Blunt' Campaign for Safer Knives
This year, Leanne founded the 'Let's Be Blunt' campaign, which calls on manufacturers and retailers to stock kitchen knives with rounded ends instead of sharp points. She argues that this small design change could have a profound impact on public safety.
"Pointed knives, sitting in our homes, can become weapons in the wrong hands," Leanne said. "By making this small change, we can remove that risk and protect lives. Every household has the power to take action today and help prevent a tragedy tomorrow."
Her campaign encourages a consumer-driven movement to make pointed kitchen knives less readily available, thereby reducing their potential use in violent incidents.
Expert Backing and National Conference
Leanne's initiative has found support from experts in the field, including former judge Nic Madge, a co-founder of the Safer Knives Group. He is due to speak at the 'Reducing Knife Harm' conference at the Royal College of Psychiatrists.
Drawing on his experience in the courts, Mr Madge said, "My experience was that kitchen knives were the most common lethal weapon. Home Office statistics now confirm that, on average, two people are killed by kitchen knives every week."
He emphasised that it is often the pointed tip of a knife that causes life-threatening injuries, concluding that a simple change in kitchen knife design will save lives and reduce harm. This conference highlights the growing consensus that tackling knife crime requires multiple solutions, with safer knife design being a crucial, practical step forward.
