A PLAN to hold an ‘I Love Lucy’ day next month has been revealed to celebrate the life of teenager Lucy McHugh.
Reverend Sean Blackman, who led Lucy’s funeral and is currently supporting her family, has said that he is hoping to raise funds through the day for Lucy’s Memorial Garden.
The day is set to be held on October 24 – what would have been Lucy’s 14th birthday.
Though a date has been set, Mr Blackman has said both he and Lucy’s mother Stacey White, are open to suggestions from the community on what events are best to remember the 13-year-old.
The funds will go towards the memorial garden announced earlier this month.
Lucy’s school – Redbridge Community School – will house the garden to honour the memory of the 13-year-old, whose body was found at Southampton Sports Centre on July 26.
The plan is at an early stage and few details have been confirmed, but the school has agreed for the garden to be created within its grounds.
But Mr Blackman, who said he has been discussing plans with Stacey White, said he was hoping to fund the garden through the day next month, with any funds left over to be given to charities and good causes to help with bereavement.
Mr Blackman said: “When I was a teenager and I lost my grandparents, there was no-one to talk to, nothing for grief.
“With the I Love Lucy day, we’re hoping to not only raise funds for her memorial garden, but to hopefully have enough left over to help others who have lost loved ones. It is an evolving project to be honest, there are no plans set in stone. The idea is that Lucy was one in a million, and there are a million lives cut short because of criminal causes or through illness. If we can raise some money for those causes to help battle that, it would be amazing.”
Head teacher at Redbridge Community School, Jason Ashley, said that there ‘will always be a place for her here’.
He added: “We don’t want her to be forgotten. It is a place for students to come and reflect.”
When asked about ideas for the day in October, Mr Blackman, who is also a Conservative borough councillor in Gosport, said he was hoping for some ideas to come from the community.
He added: “I’m sure the public have some fantastic ideas for the day to celebrate her life and it’s definitely something we will look into.”
Almost 200 officers have been involved in the investigation of Lucy’s murder, and police continue to appeal for information. Anyone can contact police on 101 quoting Operation Refund.
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