This Friday marks the 5th anniversary of a day all of us associated with Reading will never forget.
On the evening of Saturday 20th June 2020, three men were enjoying the early summer sunshine sat in Forbury Gardens. It was not long after the first Covid lockdown had been lifted and being able to spend time in the company of friends again felt particularly important. The attack which followed cost James Furlong, Joe Ritchie-Bennett and David Wails their lives and changed the lives of their families and close friends forever. Five years may have gone by, but for their loved ones the pain of their loss must feel like it will never pass. The thoughts of our town and community are always with them.
In the days and weeks which followed, Reading’s community responded by closing ranks in a show of strength and solidarity with James, Joe and David’s families. For those same reasons, we have come together every year since in Reading’s historic gardens.
This year’s Civic Memorial Service will be particularly poignant being five years on. As always, we are inviting residents to join their families, friends and representatives of the Council, the emergency services and others who were involved in the response five years ago, to remember the innocent victims, including all of those who were injured and affected.
Following a private memorial service on Friday, the family and friends of James, Joe and David will make their way to the permanent memorial stone located at the bandstand in Forbury Gardens, which was designed in conjunction with the families and local community and put in place two years ago. Forbury Gardens will be closed to the public from 3pm on Friday to allow for preparations for the Civic Memorial Service, but it will reopen again from 6.30pm for residents and the local community to attend the service, which begins at 7pm.
A short service will follow which will include a performance by local gospel singer Nichole Grace. This will be followed by a flower laying ceremony and a minute’s silence. Residents are asked to bring their own flowers to lay should they wish to as part of the ceremony.
From 9pm, residents will be able to see three beams of light shone into the night sky, in memory of James, Joe and David, from the Maiwand Lion.
Friday’s Civic Memorial Service in Forbury Garden is always a touching ceremony and I’m certain Reading’s community will turn out again in numbers, as they always do, to stand in solidarity with the families of the innocent victims.
By Cllr Liz Terry
