Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP, Member of Parliament for Solihull West & Shirley and former trauma surgeon, has seen first hand the devastating effect of knife crime, with too many lives lost and families being shattered as a consequence.
The local MP is a leading voice in the campaign against knife crime and was recently highlighted by the West Midlands Police Federation for his work in Parliament scrutinising the Government’s plans to reduce knife crime.
It was brought to the MP’s attention that the weapon surrender bin at Solihull Station was being blocked by a shipping container, making it inaccessible to members of the public. The local MP immediately intervened, and Chiltern Railways have since confirmed the container will be moved by the end of March.
Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP said:
I contacted Transport for West Midlands and the Police and Crime Commissioner to request an urgent repositioning of the shipping container so that the accessibility of the weapon surrender bin could be maintained and knives can continue to be taken off our streets.
As a result of my intervention, a crane will be moving the shipping containers by 31st March 2025 - ensuring the weapon surrender bin is accessible. In the interim, Chiltern Railways have agreed with their station team that weapons can be dropped off at the station and safely stored and disposed of until full access to the weapon bin becomes available.
My campaign to reduce knife crime is multifaceted but reducing the number of knives on our streets plays a pivotal role. Moving forward, I am raising money to buy more lifesaving equipment, such as bleed kits, which provide quick and immediate means to control a catastrophic bleed, by walking the Solihull Way in May. I am also working with citizenAID to provide crucial emergency training from Key Stage 1 to adulthood in the constituency.
Members of the public who are able to contribute to Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst MP’s campaign can donate securely to The Daniel Baird Foundation through Neil’s GoFundMepage: https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-fund-more-defibrillators-and-bleed-kits-in-solihull.
