Fund launched in memory of murdered boy
Howard Lake | 3 March 2006 | News
Six months after 15 year old Belfast boy Thomas Devlin was murdered in an unprovoked attack near his home in North Belfast, the Thomas Devlin Fund has been established in his memory. The Fund aims to promote public awareness about the effects and impact of the type of violent attack from which Thomas met his death. The Trustees aim to raise hundreds of thousands of pounds to carry out a range of activities which will be targeted at young people in N. Ireland.
“We want our tragedy to be a catalyst for young people to become more appreciative of the impact and futility of gratuitous violence – a rising trend in our community where more and more innocent teenagers, like Thomas, have lost their lives”, said Thomas’ Mum and Fund Secretary, Penny Holloway.
The Fund plans to commission a sculpture which will involve young people and be symbolic of their hopes and aspirations. Hopefully it will be erected in an area where it will gain maximum public exposure.
The Fund also hopes to provide bursaries/scholarships for young people to pursue innovative Music/Creative Arts projects in third level education. The bursaries will be awarded annually until 2065, representing the notional expected length of Thomas’ natural life.
A website has been set up and is being developed to provide information on the support activities and progress of the Fund.
TV presenter Eamonn Holmes, Patron of the Fund, who performed the launch ceremony, made an emotional plea: “Thomas’ death must provide a line in the sand. Let his young life be the last one to be taken so senselessly”.
The Fund is supported by personalities from the arts and media industry as well as friends of the family.
www.thomasdevlin.com
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.