Ninja sword and weapon surrender bin installed in Thamesmead

A fourth weapon surrender bin has been installed in Royal Greenwich to help reduce knife crime. 

The new bin is on Hutchins Road, Thamesmead, SE28 8AT and is part of the Home Office’s national weapons surrender scheme, which is running throughout July.  

The Thamesmead bin has been designed to be able to fit ‘ninja swords’, which are being banned from 1 August. After this date, it will be illegal to possess one of these weapons and could result in up to four years in prison. 

Anyone can use this bin to dispose of dangerous weapons anonymously and safely without fear or prosecution. The bin is securely bolted to a concrete base with a letter box design which does not allow people to be able to reach the contents inside.   

Throughout July there will also be a mobile surrender van, operated by FazAmnesty, an organisation devoted to reducing knife crime and making our communities safer. This will be visiting the borough on Wednesday 16 July between 2pm and 5pm, and located on Herbert Road, SE18 3TX. 

Trained staff from the organisation will safely deposit any items handed in into a secure, surrender bin inside the mobile surrender van. No personal information will be taken, or any questions asked. 

Councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Enforcement, said: “We are really pleased to support the government’s national weapons surrender scheme, and to have another permanent weapon surrender bin installed in the borough, in collaboration with our partner organisation Word 4 Weapons, following the campaign’s success so far.  

We want everyone in the borough to be safe, and feel safer, and since the Abbey Wood, Eltham and Woolwich bins were installed in July 2024 and March 2025, they have resulted in 214 weapons being taken off our streets. This shows just how effective the bins are in helping to keep our communities safe.” 

There are now four weapon surrender bins placed in: 

• Abbey Wood, located near the Abbey Wood library, at the back of the Old Council Office on Eynsham Drive/Finchdale Road, SE2.
• Hutchins Road, Thamesmead, SE28 8AT, located near to the underpass. See the specific location here.
• Sutcliffe Park, Meadowside, Eltham SE9, located to the right of the main entrance on Eltham Road.
• Woolwich Town Centre, on Calderwood Street, at the junction with Powis Street.   

 
Visit our website to find out more about our ‘Let’s Live #KnifeFree’ campaign, the risks of carrying a knife and the help and local support available. 
 
You can help prevent knife crime and report information anonymously by visiting Crimestoppers, Fearless, or by calling 0800 555 111. If you are ever in danger, or need immediate help, always call 999.