The family and friends of Ava White have paid tribute to her on the first anniversary of her death.
The schoolgirl was stabbed to death in Liverpool city centre by a 14-year-old boy while she was attending a Christmas light switch on on November 25 last year. Ava's murder left the city reeling as tributes poured in from family, friends and public figures.
Ava's mum Leeann and sister Mia issued a video marking the one year anniversary of her death, while friends gathered to join hands and sing close to the site of the stabbing, on Church Street.
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Tributes to Ava lined a tree close to Primark in the city centre, with flowers, balloons, and emotional messages. In an emotional tribute, mum Leeann said: "It doesn't feel like a year. On one hand, time has gone so quick, and then on the other hand, it's been so long since I've touched her, or kissed her. There's no words to describe the depths of the way I'm feeling."
Leeann added: "Everything in our family life has changed. I don't see my nieces or nephews still. I'm still finding it really hard."
Friends of Ava gathered by the tributes on November 25, crying and hugging as people passing by paid their respects. One tribute left on the tree said "our beautiful angel", while another message said "we miss you always and forever".
In the wake of Ava's death, her family set up the Ava White Foundation to help prevent knife crime and raise awareness of its effects. One of the aims of the charity is to raise £5,000 to cover the cost of 50 bleed control packs that will be distributed to different venues across the city.
Part of the fundraising page reads: "For the cost of a kit, £96, a life could be saved and their family spared lifelong grief knowing that they could perhaps have survived had there been a bleed control kit available. We are reaching out to ask if your in a position to help us by raising funds to go towards buying a bleed kit to help us reach our x50 packs goal in Ava’s memory.
"As a foundation we held a family fun day fundraiser on the 16th October and amazing raised £1738.78 but we will continue to raise money until we hit our £5000 target for the fifty bleed control packs."
If you would like to donate to the Ava White Foundation's fundraising page click here.
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