Twenty two people were killed in the blast on 22 May 2017 following an Ariana Grande concert; Chloe, 17, was just beginning her career in travel with Westoe and was an aspiring musician, while Liam, 19, was a keen sportsman and was thinking about joining the police force.
"It’s hard to believe it is five years since this tragic event took the lives of this beautiful young couple," said Westoe Travel owner Graeme Brett.
A service will be held outside South Shields town hall on Sunday 22 May from 10am, ending at 10.31am with a minute’s silence. People are invited to leave flowers and tributes on the memorial bench in front of the town hall, and to dress the town’s businesses and houses pink and blue in their memory.
To create a lasting legacy, the families of Chloe and Liam set up the Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust, which raises funds in their name to be redistributed in the local South Shields community to help young people achieve their potential in performance arts and sport.
Businesses, schools and residents in South Shields will be holding a range of fundraising events over the coming weeks and months to continue raising money for the trust. These include:
- Local brewery One More Than Two will create a special Chloe and Liam IPA (India Pale Ale) with profits going to the trust
- Local dance groups will hold a charity dance gala on 26 June at Harton Academy
- A gala dinner will be held at the Hilton Hotel Gateshead on 9 July
- A golf day will be held at South Shields Golf Club on 3 June
- A charity football match will be held at Harton Welfare on 3 July with three games followed by a concert with local performers playing
- Businesses will be decorating their windows in pink and blue with various sponsored events are being held in the town
- Residents of the town will be wearing pink and blue trust wristbands.
"The legacy carries on through the amazing work of their families through the Chloe and Liam Together Forever Trust, which has so far supported more than 1,000 young people to help them reach their potential in sport and performance," Brett added.
Full details of the events can be found on the trust’s Facebook page.
