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After Saturday’s horrifying attack in the heart of Reading, a local business is hoping to raise funds to commemorate the victims: James Furlong, David Wails and Joe Ritchie-Bennett.
Phantom Brewing Co have set up a Go Fund Me page, which you can find right here. The proceeds will go towards a memorial that will be decided by the victims’ families, with all arrangements being made by Reading Borough Council.
The aim at the moment is to raise £5,000 for the memorial - a target I’m sure we can exceed. Any money beyond that initial £5,000 will go to support further initiatives to remember the victims.
James Furlong was head of history, government at politics at The Holt School in Wokingham and David Wails was a senior principal scientist at Johnson Matthey, while Joe Ritchie-Bennett worked at a Dutch pharmaceutical company, having previously moved to the UK from the USA. Martin Cooper, who was friends with all three and is chief executive of Reading Pride, called them “true gentlemen”.
This memorial will be a great way of remembering three men who, tragically, were taken too soon.