Liverpool to hold special remembrance service for victims of serious violence

A special service will be held on Friday, 20 September at Liverpool Town Hall to honour and remember the victims of serious violence.

The Serious Violence Remembrance Evening will take place from 6:30pm to 8:30pm, featuring reflections, speeches, and performances from those impacted by violence and city leaders. The public is encouraged to attend and show their support.

The service will include music from the LIPA Choir.

Speakers at The Serious Violence Remembrance Evening include:

Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson
Lord Mayor, Cllr Richard Kemp
Retired Merseyside Police Chief Superintendent Mark Baker, who led the investigation into the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel
Rose Dixon, the new Chair of the national bereavement charity ‘Support after Murder and Manslaughter’ (SAMM)

It is the fourth year that the annual event has been held. It was inspired by Mandy Jamieson whose son Danny was stabbed to death in Gateacre in July 2018, aged just 16.

Since the tragedy, Mandy has set up Danny’s Place – a charity which facilitates talks to schools, youth organisations and the probation sector about the ripple effect knife crime can have.

The event is supported by Liverpool City Council’s Culture Liverpool and Safer Stronger Communities teams.

Liverpool Town Hall and other civic buildings will be lit up purple on the night, in remembrance of those who have lost their lives to knife crime.

Earlier this year, the Liverpool Community Safety Partnership – known locally as Citysafe – launched a ‘Serious Violence Reduction Plan’ to tackle the issue.

There has already been success in reducing serious violence in Liverpool over the last year or so, with a number of projects set up to disrupt organised crime and encourage young people to make the right choices.

Examples have included the EVOLVE partnership in Dovecot, Yew Tree and parts of Knowsley, funded by the Home Office. The partnership – which was established following the murder of Olivia Pratt-Korbel – has led to an increase in arrests and intelligence provided by the local community, together with falls in crime.

In Liverpool, between October 2022 and September 2023, murders reduced by 87% (15 > 2), shootings fell by 48% (23 > 12), gun crime dropped by 42% (139 > 81) and knife crime was down 29% (815 > 578).

Mandy Jamieson, Founder of Danny’s Place, said:

“The serious violence remembrance evening is held once a year to remember all loved ones lost to serious violence.

“It’s about showing what is strong, instead of what is wrong in our city.”

Liverpool City Council Leader, Cllr Liam Robinson, said:

“We know that giving an opportunity to friends and family who have experienced the pain of losing loved ones through needless violence to come together with others experiencing the same pain and devastation, is hugely beneficial.

“It is also important that we take the time to reflect on those who have lost their lives and remember that they are avoidable tragedies that impacts many other people for their rest of their lives, long after the media interest has waned.

“Shining a spotlight on serious violence helps educate others and reminds us that we need to do all we can to prevent further tragedies from happening in our city.”

Merseyside’s Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell said:

“My heart goes out to all families, across Merseyside, who have suffered such unimaginable loss. This service is an important opportunity for us to come together to remember the victims and support those who have been bereaved.

“We are driven to tackle serious violence, we owe it to those innocent people who have lost their lives in the cruellest way, because we know violence isn’t inevitable, it’s preventable. That is why we are working hard with partners from education, health, criminal justice and other sectors to act earlier and reach those who are younger.

“Through our Merseyside Violence Reduction Partnership, we’re taking a long-term approach, going to the very root causes of violence. In the past five years we’ve reached more than 114,000 young people through positive youth interventions, and, this year, we have invested a further half a million pounds to reach even more.

“This is how we create a lasting legacy, addressing the root causes of violence, helping youngsters choose a brighter path in life, breaking the cycle and stopping our young people being drawn into a life of crime and violence so we can all live in safer and stronger communities.”