Family and friends turn out to remember Jessie Wright at Bemerton Estate festival

Published: 09 July, 2010
by ROISIN GADELRAB

PHOTO by Yvonne McIntosh

A BURST of pink balloons punctuated the skies around Caledonian Road on Saturday in tribute to murdered teenager Jessie Wright at Saturday’s Bemerton Estate festival.

Residents attempted to rebuild their community with a day of festivities, following the deaths of young Jessie Wright and her friend Sam Fitzgerald earlier this year.

More than 1,000 people turned out to enjoy performances from local children who sang, danced and drummed their way through the afternoon.

Family and friends of Jessie, who died in March, gathered outside her grandparents home in Kinross House to release pink balloons in her memory. Each balloon carried a message to the teenager.

Team Cally neighbourhood coordinator Mohamed Hammoudan said: “The festival was an attempt by residents to kick-start community action and create informal social networks, partly as a response to a number of fatal incidents on the area over the past year.”

Mr Hammoudan organised the event along with resident Angie Slater. Islington South MP Emily Thornberry, Mayor of Islington Mouna Hamitouche, and Caledonian ward councillor Paul Convery were among the visitors.