Council announce a new charitable fund that will help pay for a lasting commemoration
As people streamed into Manchester to pay their respects following the arena attack, St Ann’s Square was briefly transformed into a sea of flowers. It was profoundly moving, yet could only ever be a temporary memorial to the 22 concertgoers who lost their lives.
Ten people under twenty were killed in the cowardly suicide bombing, which took place following pop star Ariana Grande’s concert on 22 May, the youngest being eight-year-old Saffie Rose Roussos (pictured).
This week, the council announced it has set up a charitable to fund to help pay for a permanent memorial (or memorials) and will be working with victims’ friends and family to help determine the form and location.
Although entirely separate, the new fund will compliment the We Love Manchester Emergency appeal, set up in the wake of the attack to help those affected. This fund has now surpassed £18m, with families of the dead set to receive £250,000 each.
Most recently, local artist Amy Coney raised £7100 for her ‘Bee Love’ painting, the bee wings contained the words of Tony Walsh’s iconic This is the Place poem. Signed by 40 familiar names - spanning Johnny Marr to The 1975 and Walsh himself - it’s now available to purchase as a print from charity Forever Manchester.
Elsewhere, over 100 creatives donated wares for a ‘Plan Bee’ summer fundraising event last month, raising over £1000 (prints still available online), while tea-lovers can even get their mitts on a bee-themed cuppa.
Fundraisers have just over a fortnight left to donate to the emergency appeal, while further details on the permanent memorial will be announced following an initial consultation in early September.
