Faiths across Southport open their doors in memory of stabbings victims
Southport Quaker Meeting House will join with other places of worship next Friday to mark the first anniversary of last July's appalling knife attack.
Across the town, churches will open their doors to remember the three little girls who were killed - nine-year-old Alice da Silva Aguiar, six-year-old Bebe King, and seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe.
Many more were left with life-changing injuries, and the psychological impacts of witnessing or responding to the attack.
Axel Rudakubana, aged 17 at the time of the murders, was jailed for life with a minimum term of 52 years in January after admitting three counts of murder, 10 of attempted murder, producing the biological toxin ricin and a terrorism offence.
“Sefton Council has been working with faith and community leaders to identify local spaces where people can go to pay tribute, say a prayer, light a candle, speak to someone or quietly reflect," said Gerard Hughes, clerk of Southport Quaker Meeting.
“Whenever people come to our meeting houses, they always remark on how peaceful they are and we hope this will be a source of comfort for some as we mark this first anniversary."
The Quaker Meeting House will be open on July 29 from 10am to 2pm.
There will be a three-minute silence at 3pm, and instead of laying flowers, people are being asked to donate to local causes, including the Southport Stronger Together Appeal, Elsie's Story, Bebe's Hive, Hope's Help, and Alice's Wonderdance.