Memorial opens to remember Manchester Arena terror attack victims including South Shields couple Chloe and Liam
and live on Freeview channel 276
The Glade of Light memorial has officially opened to the public today, Wednesday January, 4 in honour of the the 22 people murdered in the Manchester Arena terror attack in 2017.
A white marble “halo” bearing the names of those killed is conceived as a living memorial – a peaceful garden space for remembrance and reflection, which features plants which grow naturally in the UK countryside and have been selected to provide year-round colour and echo the changing seasons.
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Hide AdThe tribute includes personalised memory capsules made by the families of those who lost loved ones and contain mementos and messages that are embedded inside the halo.
Chloe Rutherford, 17, and Liam Curry, 19 from South Shields were among the 22 people who tragically lost their lives in the Manchester Arena bomb attack on May 22, 2017.
The families of those lost have been given the opportunity to visit privately before the memorial opened.
Around the anniversary every year the white flowers of a hawthorn tree planted at its centre will bloom in the garden which is located between Manchester Cathedral and Chetham’s School of Music, at the foot of Fennel Street where it meets Victoria Street.
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Hide AdAn official opening event is planned for spring 2022, ahead of the fifth anniversary of the attack in May.
Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig said: “We will never forget those whose lives were lost on 22 May 2017.
“They already had a permanent place in the hearts of Manchester people. Now they have a lasting memorial in the heart of our city.
“The Glade of Light is a beautiful tribute to them and somewhere which will also have profound meaning for everyone affected by the attack.
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Hide Ad“We hope the memorial site will be a place of peace and comfort, standing as a reminder that love is stronger than hate.”
Fences around the site, where work began in March last year, have been taken down for the public to be able to visit the memorial today, Wednesday January 4.