A PERMANENT memorial to the victims who lost their lives in the Forbury Gardens attacks is to be unveiled next week.
A civic memorial service will take place on Tuesday, June 20– the third anniversary of the attacks–in memory of David Wails, James Furlong, and Joe Ritchie-Bennett.
Reading Borough Council invites residents to the service in Forbury Gardens, where the mayor of Reading, Cllr Tony Page, will lead the ceremony, which includes the laying of flowers by family and friends, followed by a minute’s silence.
Residents will be able to pay their respects to the memorial stone which has been put in place near the Forbury Bandstand.
The memorial stone has been designed in collaboration with the families of James, David, and Joe, and will be officially unveiled at a private ceremony ahead of the civic service.
At 9.45pm three beams of light will be shone from the Maiwand Lion, which became a symbol of community solidarity in the wake of the attacks, in their memory.
Council Leader, Councillor Jason Brock, said: “I am sure that I’m far from alone in always thinking of James, Joe and David whenever I walk through our historic Forbury Gardens.
“I am pleased Reading’s community will now have somewhere definitive to pay their respects with the opening of Reading’s permanent memorial, which has been chosen in close discussion with families.
“Tuesday’s Civic Memorial Ceremony offers Reading another chance to come together in solidarity, just as it did in the days and weeks which followed the attacks, and show our continued support for all the victims and their loved ones.”
He continued: “The events of 20 June 2020 continue to feel much more recent than three years ago, and my thoughts – and the thoughts of everybody in Reading – will always remain with the families and close friends who so needlessly lost loved ones that day, as well as all those injured or affected.
“It will be forever important that we, as a town, continue to demonstrate our unity in the face of an act of terror that sought to divide us.”
Members of the public are welcome to bring their own flowers to lay as part of the ceremony and are asked to be in place by 6.50pm.
They will be able to access Forbury Gardens from 6.30pm and the gardens will close again at 8pm.
Reading Borough Council will also livestream the event via their Facebook page.
