Taylor Swift fans who helped raise more than £100,000 in less than 24 hours for victims of the Southport knife attack hope the money will offer families “an ounce of comfort”.
Merseyside Police have confirmed three children aged six, seven and nine have died after a knife attack at a Taylor Swift-themed holiday club in Southport which left five others in a critical condition.
The attack took place at a children’s event themed on US singer Taylor Swift, whose fans had raised more than £103,000 by 2.20pm on Tuesday via their Swifties for Southport online fundraiser.
Residents have been laying flowers at the site of the attack in Southport, which happened on Monday (James Speakman/PA)
Cristina Jones, from Trowbridge in Wiltshire and Holly Goldring from Tunbridge Wells in Kent, started the JustGiving page to ease the “financial burden” on the families involved.
“What compelled us was we were thinking about the fact that these families are going through just unimaginable hell right now,” Ms Jones told the PA news agency.
“It feels really nice we’ve done something really positive.
“I firmly believe there’s nothing we can do to make the families feel better because of what they’re going through right now, but if we’ve taken some sort of burden from them, financial or whatever, it’s nice to know that we’ve done what we can do.”
Ms Jones added she is “thinking of them and we’re praying for them” and confirmed all proceeds will go directly to Alder Hey Children’s Charity, in honour of the hospital where the victims are being treated.
“We just couldn’t sit back and allow more stress onto two families that are going through the worst possible thing you could go through,” she explained.
“We have no intentions of reaching out to the families ourselves – it will be Alder Hey who will help in terms of the family getting money, we will keep a respectable distance.”
Taylor Swift fan Cristina Jones was one of two Swifties who set up the fundraiser to support the families of those killed and the children injured in the Southport knife attack (Cristina Jones)
Ms Jones said it was “really lovely” to see Swift share a statement on Instagram paying tribute to the victims, with the US singer stating she is “completely in shock” following the attack.
“She’s bringing it to attention and letting the families know she’s well aware and is thinking of them,” Ms Jones said.
Meanwhile, Ms Goldring, 27, said it is “within Swifties nature to care and love and support each other”.
The sales manager hopes the fundraiser can offer the family “an ounce of comfort” through the “utter turmoil” of losing their children to Monday’s knife attack.
“The last thing a family should be worrying about is the how they’re doing to pay for the funeral of their little girl,” Ms Goldring said.
“It’s giving the families that relief in a time of complete and utter turmoil. It’s their living nightmare and just knowing they have an entire community standing behind them.
“We are just sending all of our love, and we are so incredibly sorry for what has happened.
“Nothing can change what happened (on Monday), but we just hope that this provides even an ounce of comfort.”
Holly Goldring (pictured) and fellow Swiftie Cristina Jones have raised more than £85,00 for the families and victims of the Southport attack (Holly Goldring)
Children’s entertainer Richard Townes, from Southport, has set up a GoFundMe for families affected by Monday’s knife attack.
A father to a young child, he said parents in the area are now “terrified” of sending their children to summer groups.
“This is the worst tragedy to happen in Southport’s history, as far as I’m aware,” the 39-year-old born in Southport told the PA news agency.
“Everyone has been affected in some way, shape or form – everyone knows someone impacted.
“This is supposed to be the start of the summer holidays and parents in WhatsApp groups are now terrified of sending their children to summer clubs.
“I have a five-year-old daughter who could have just as easily been at the class – I feel helpless and like I can’t do anything.
“This fundraiser is the only thing I can do to help, I want to raise some money to help reduce the financial implications for the families involved.”
The Taylor Swift fundraiser can be found at: justgiving.com/page/swifties-for-southport
Mr Townes’ local fundraiser can be found at: gofundme.com/f/the-children-and-adults-whose-lives-were-affected