At 6.30pm Saturday 13th October an Act of Remembrance and Renewal was held at St Paul’s Cathedral to launch the first National Hate Crime Awareness Week.
265 people observed the service. The service was lead by Cannon Mark Oakley and involved two short reflections by Beverley Smith (Disability Hate Crime Network) and Mark Healey (17-24-30 No to Hate Crime Campaign.
Mark read out quotes from a number of letters of support that have been received by the campaign this year, including the Prime Minister David Cameron, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, Leader of the Opposition Ed Miliband, Mayor of London Boris Johnson, London Assembly Member Jenny Jones and Brendan Barber General Secretary of the TUC.During the service Carolyn and Peggy Moore (sister and mother of Nik Moore who was killed in the Admiral Duncan Bombing 30th April 1999) lit a Candle of Hope and Remembrance which will burn in St Paul’s Cathedral for the duration of the week leading up to to 4th International Day of Hope and Remembrance for those affected by Hate Crime.
At the end of the service people were invited to light more candles representing many communities coming together to tackle hate crime. Cannon Mark Oakley will take the Candle of Hope and Remembrance to the London Vigil against Hate Crime which is due to take place in Trafalgar Square on the 20th October whilst Solidarity Vigils against Hate Crime take place around the UK.
