Peace in the Park

‘Peace in the Park’ aims to raise awareness of the devastating impact fatal and serious road traffic collisions have on those bereaved or left living with life-changing or life-limiting injuries. The installation will be in place at Birmingham Cathedral from the 20th May - 2nd June.

Road traffic collisions are all too often referred to as ‘accidents’ but this is an inaccurate term, especially where we are referring to collisions caused by law-breaking drivers. The need to reduce road danger is all too often overlooked.

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Why Peace in the Park?

RoadPeace West Midlands are part of RoadPeace, the national charity for road crash victims. Each group member has been bereaved through a road traffic collision and wants to ensure that others who sadly experience such a loss receive compassion, support and justice.

We ask you to stand with us in remembrance, hope and action – to honour those whose lives have been taken and to fight for a world where road danger is no longer tolerated.

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Project Development

About the installation

The artwork you see has been created in partnership between RoadPeace West Midlands (with help from RoadPeace West Mercia and RoadPeace Siblings), Birmingham Youth Offending Service, CFG, Birmingham Cathedral and St. Martin in the Bull Ring. Its intention is to provoke a conversation about the need to do more to stop unnecessary death and injury on our roads, and to make people think about the carnage which is taking place every day.

The dove is the symbol of RoadPeace and represents peace, love and hope. Each photo you can see is of a real victim – whose life was taken violently and suddenly, and whose family wants them to be seen as more than a statistic.

The artwork was made by family members bereaved through road crashes, young people involved in road crime or other offences, workers from the Birmingham Youth Offending Service and colleagues from CFG, a law firm that work to support the bereaved and injured and are a member of the RoadPeace legal panel, with support from Joinex Displays.

In 1896, Bridget Driscoll, a pedestrian, became the first person to be killed in a road traffic collision in our country and the coroner warned, “this must never happen again”. Devastatingly, we now face a situation where there are an average of 5 deaths, and 75 reported serious injuries on our roads every single day.

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Stories of those impacted

Songs by young people

As part of the work alongside the Birmingham Youth Offending Service, two young people they are working with have written, performed and produced two songs.

One song reflects the need for road danger reduction and thinking about your actions behind the wheel. The other is a reflection from a young person who lost their cousin in a road crash. 

Road Safety by Remiah/Remzz 

"I choose to write a track for the RoadPeace campaign, to spread awareness of risk and hazards, caused by dangerous drivers that have substance abuse issues and lack of concentration while driving. I have previously lost somebody to dangerous driving, so I am aware of the impact it causes, and how serious it is overall. I’ve shown this in my track by using the bar “losing a leg or losing a friend, there ain’t no difference.” This shows that no matter how serious or mild the incident, there is always an effect and consequences to people's actions."

Listen to Road Safety here.

Blue Lights bt Kieron/K1

"I decided to write a track for the RoadPeace campaign to address the dangers and consequences of speeding drivers and the effect it has on families and friends. I chose to write a track for RoadPeace due to losing my cousin to a speeding driver and wanted to raise awareness about how it can impact your family and anyone close to you."

Listen to Blue Lights here.

Songs by young people

Click here to listen

About RoadPeace

RoadPeace is the national charity for road crash victims. They provide information and support services to people bereaved or seriously injured in road traffic collisions. Their vision is for a world where road danger is not tolerated and where road crash victims receive justice and compassion – they believe in enabling local action through the incredible work of their regional groups.

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Finding support

Finding support:

If you have been bereaved or seriously injured due to a road traffic collision, or are supporting someone who has been, please contact the RoadPeace helpline for emotional support and information:

Email: helpline@roadpeace.org
Phone: 0800 160 1069

If you would like more information on the ‘Peace in the Park’ project and the RoadPeace West Midlands Regional Group, please contact the West Midlands coordinator, Lucy Harrison:

Website: www.roadpeace.org
Email: lucy.harrison@roadpeace.org

Making a donation

If you are able, please help us by donating to our work. Your gift will help to ensure that RoadPeace can continue to help families facing heart-breaking tragedy and grief.

To donate to the work of the RoadPeace West Midlands group please use the just giving page set up for this project:

To donate to the work of RoadPeace as a whole or to join us as a member or supporter, please follow the below links:

Roadpeace | Charity No: 1087192 | Company No: 04165519