Walk for tragic Jessie Wright

Published: 1 April 2010
by RÓISÍN GADELRAB

THERE was no police escort, no road closures and no official starting time.

But friends and family of teenager Jessie Wright came together in Outram Place off York Way on Sunday regardless, to march in memory of the 16-year-old, who was found dead close by just three weeks ago.

Jessie’s relatives, including a number of cousins and her younger sister Molly, were there for the emotional gathering on Sunday afternoon.

It was delayed slightly by some confusion over the clocks going forward, but they didn’t mind waiting.

The young girls and boys, who had put so much effort into remembering their friend, signed their names and tributes on a sheet, dressed in flowers and bright colours and led the way along Caledonian Road past Jessie’s favourite hangouts. The former pupil at Maria Fidelis School in Somers Town was well known on both sides of the Camden and Islington borough boundaries in King’s Cross.

The unofficial march stopped traffic as they led a group of up to 100 teenagers, mothers with prams, neighbours and one pensioner in a wheelchair through the Delhi Outram Estate, past Bemerton and up towards Pentonville Prison.

Along the way they stopped outside the home where Jessie lived with her grandmother on Bingfield Street, at Dallas café, where she loved to enjoy a bacon sandwich, and her favourite kebab shop, Cally Kebabs.

They played music from an iPod dock, decked with a cuddly toy to make their presence known, as they stopped to collect money for a memorial which they hope to put up somewhere near where Jessie lived. Her friend Bobbie Lovell, 18, who helped lead the march, recalled how Jessie would make her go out in the middle of the night when she was hungry.

She said: “It could be 1am and no matter how tired I was, she’d persuade me to put on my shoes and we’d go out to the kebab shop. If she didn’t have the money on her she’d ask if she could pay the next day and they’d always let her.”

In total, the march raised £270, which will hopefully go towards a bench in Jessie’s name.

Bobbie said: “We’re not sure where we’re putting it yet. Maybe in the park. We’d like to get two benches.”

The march ended with friends, including organiser Stevie Parker, making speeches and promising to release doves at Jessie’s funeral.

The teenagers are also making plans for a summer festival in Jessie’s name, which they hope to hold at Crumbles Castle playground, and are hoping X-Factor winner Alexandra Burke, who grew up in the area, will sing.

Jessie’s aunt Sarah Lucraft said: “I’m really proud of her friends and family for doing this for her.”

Labour councillor Paul Convery, who joined the gathering before the march, has pledged to help make the memorial happen. He told Jessie’s sister Molly that councillors would match the money raised to make sure a fitting memorial could be realised.

“This tragedy has really shocked the neighbourhood and caused deep distress to the children and young people around here,” said Cllr Convery. “These kids, their families and friends are demonstrating their deep sadness, but also their determination to make this a safer and better neighbourhood for them to grow up in. As local councillors, we shall give them every support necessary to achieve that.”

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