St John at Hackney worked with Christian organisation Word for Weapons and installed the bin 18 months ago, one of the first churches to launch such a project.
The phenomenal response made it the most successful knife bin in the country last year, St John spokesman Emily Kolltveit said. She added, ‘The church crosses two postcodes and there’s gang rivalry between the two districts so the churchyard, where the bin is situated, is seen as neutral ground.’
Rev Rob Wickham, rector of Hackney added, ‘The need for a knife bin in Hackney is clear. We are deeply committed to working for both the safety and security of our parishes, but also to enable a way out to those who want to turn their back on a knife culture.’
