Sheffield came together to remember the city’s latest victim of knife crime on Friday and vowed that “this must never happen again”.
Over 750 people gathered in the rain at Sheffield Cathedral on Friday, 21 February, to pay their respects to Harvey Willgoose.
Speaking at the funeral service, Harvey’s sister, Sophie Willgoose, delivered a heartfelt poem about her brother: “One moment you’re here, next, you’re gone, leaving us, trying to carry on.”
The “loving and caring” 15-year-old’s life was tragically cut short when he was stabbed to death at his school, All Saints Catholic School.
Three weeks after he was stabbed to death, Harvey was laid to rest in a heartfelt ceremony attended by close family and friends, as well as well-wishers in the community.
His cousin Lana Swirles also recited stories about how Harvey’s laughter “was contagious, and his kindness knew no bounds.”
Harvey was lovingly called “Goose” by close friends and family and was a massive Blades fan.
At the service, Reverend Canon Abigail Thompson said: “None of us want to be here today, none of us want to be attending [Harvey’s] funeral. This must never happen again. But we are here, and we are here for each other. ”
Since his death, the city has come together to rally against the rise of knife crime in the city and its massive impact on Sheffield’s community as a whole.
Knife crime has risen in the UK by a large percentage since March 2023, with juveniles (aged 10-17) being the offenders in around 17.3% of cases.
Offences involving the use of a knife have increased in the UK by 4.4% to 55,008 by September 2024 from 52,969 in the previous year.
The Office of National Statistics also said that South Yorkshire has been ranked the fourth worst area to live in the UK for knife crime, with 10.72 offences involving a knife per 10,000 people.
A change.org petition, with almost 40,000 signatures, is campaigning for “immediate action to address the growing epidemic of knife crime in schools.” It says the increase in knife crime is accounted for by the lack of strict policies to ensure the safety of students.
The petition calls on the UK Government to implement mandatory bag checks, metal detectors, and airport-style body and bag scanners in all schools.
Another campaign on GoFundMe started on behalf of The Ben Kinsella Trust, hopes to increase public awareness around knife crime. The campaign has raised over £1,170, just short of its £1,400 target.
South Yorkshire Police’s campaign called Knives Take Lives continues to tackle this issue by supporting boys aged 11 to 14 who “may be starting to feel pressure to carry a knife”.
If you’ve been affected by knife crime or are worried about knife crime in your area, contact South Yorkshire Police on 101, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
