New Southport playground in Alice and Bebe's memory unveiled
Alice Aguiar and Bebe King were killed in last year's Southport attack
A new playground, in memory of two children killed in last year's Southport stabbings, has been unveiled at Churchtown Primary School.
More than £370,000 was raised in a GoFundMe for a space to honour Churchtown pupils Alice Aguiar and Bebe King, who tragically lost their lives in July 2024.
Work started on the day after students at Churchtown left for the summer holidays - and is unveiled on the day they return to school.
It has been designed to give children a range of opportunities to play, imagine, create and grow - with each area having its own special purpose:
The Stage - A performance space for children to sing, dance, act, and tell stories - to encourage creativity, confidence and self-expression.
The Climbing Area: Ropes, ladders and towers to encourage children to challenge themselves, develop resilience and build strength.
The Library: A peaceful and dedicated reading space designed to spark imagination.
The Bike track in the Early years playground: A dedicated area for cycling, scooting and active play. Bebe learned to ride a bike at school.
Hideaway Areas: Quiet nooks and dens where children can relax, chat with friends, or take time out alone.
Multi-Use Games Area - A space with dedicated Liverpool and Everton ends for football, basketball and other team games.
Artwork by Southport artist Tony Wynne, who has two grandchildren at Churchtown: He created a recreation of Alice's classmates artwork called 'Our journey for Alice', which is on the wall linking the Early Years and main playground. There are benches nearby for people to sit and reflect.
Two other pieces of art have been created, incorporating ballerinas, bees, and butterflies -symbols important to Alice, Bebe, and the school.
The designs also feature words from a poem written by a Year 4 pupil, based on the theme of 'Hope'.
A poem was also compiled by headteacher Jinnie Payne, based on words written by Alice's classmates:
Our Journey for Alice
We painted our sorrow,
a canvas of loss,
when Alice was gone,
a piece of us missing.
At first, the world was dark.
A bare tree -our emptiness.
Rain - our tears.
Lightning - our anger.
The night sky - our grief.
Mountains weighed on us,
chrysalises locked our hearts,
a crow circled our thoughts.
Our minds darted like squirrels,
flitting, restless,
never still.
A lone wolf howling,
lost beneath the stars.
But slowly - together -
we found each other’s hands.
Warmth sparked,
a flower bloomed.
Chrysalises opened,
wolves became a pack,
and the sky grew brighter
as hope returned.
At the end stands a blossom tree—
spring, and new life.
Bees for Bebe,
butterflies for three girls,
and a rainbow arched above us,
a promise of joy again.
We are small people,
but our feelings are vast.
Alice is carried in every colour,
every petal,
every hand we hold.
We are never alone.
Jinnie Payne said:
"I’m delighted that after months of hard work and determination we have made the Churchtown Playground a reality.
"Our children are going to love what has been achieved with the playground, which will serve as a lasting legacy for Alice and Bebe for generations to come.
"We couldn’t be more pleased with the end result and would like to thank everyone in Southport and beyond for their amazing contributions to make the playground possible."