Family launch charity in memory of Megan
THE family of a young girl killed in the Manchester Arena bombing is setting up a charity in her memory.
It is hoped it will help selfemployed parents who lose children and struggle to work.
Megan Hurley, 15, was one of the 22 people killed at the Ariana Grande concert on May 22 last year.
Her brother, Bradley, was seriously injured and spent a month in hospital for treatment to two broken legs, burns and a perforated ear drum.
Megan’s parents Michael and Joanne stopped working at their Merseyside cafe to care for their son following the atrocity.
The couple, from Liverpool, were supported by charity donations in the wake of the tragedy. But without people’s generosity, they would have been left with nothing.
Michael and Joanne have now announced they are setting up the Megan Hurley Foundation to offer financial support for self-employed people who – like themselves – have suffered the sudden loss of a child and are unable to work.
Bradley, 22, who designed a charity pin badge in Megan’s memory, said: “At the time of the bomb, my mum and dad had a well-established cafe.
“But they couldn’t go back to it after what happened.
“They had financial support from all the local people.
“If it wasn’t such a well-known incident, there wouldn’t have been any option for them as selfemployed people.
“You worry about how you are going to pay the bills – it’s one extra thing to worry about.
“We don’t think there’s anything like this charity available. We want to keep Megan’s name alive. That’s what she was like as well, she always wanted to help people.”
In a joint statement, Michael and Joanne said: “We are proud to say The Megan Hurley Foundation is officially launched.
“Anyone who has set up a charity will know how much of a lengthy, difficult process it can be especially in these circumstances, but we wanted to get this out there as quickly as possible so that Megan’s name would live on through helping others as that is the type of person Megan was.
“We would like to thank everyone who has supported and continues to support the charity and we hope many more will do so to keep Megan and the foundation in the forefront of people’s minds and hearts.”