School unveils memorial to boy who died at Snowdome
A MEMORIAL garden has been unveiled at a Sutton Coldfield secondary school in memory of a pupil who died in a birthday party tragedy at the Snowdome indoor ski centre.
Louis Watkiss, 12, was died on a ski slope at the Tamworth attraction on September 24 last year.
Investigations into the incident are continuing and Staffordshire Police has handed the enquiry to the Health and Safety Executive to look into further.
Louis now has a poignant Japanese Memorial Garden in his name which was unveiled at Plantsbrook School, in front of his family, school friends, classmates and Sutton Coldfield MP Andrew Mitchell.
Pupils at the school took part in fundraising activities like Wear Blue for Louis day – a nod to his support for Chelsea FC, close to where he was born – and cake bake sales. In total they raised around £5,000 with some going to music charities which helped saxophonist Louis, and some used to pay for materials for the garden.
His father, Chris Watkiss, thanked the children, staff and businesses involved in building the memorial garden for his son. He said: “The design is quite stunning, especially on this glum December day. It’s beautiful. What I kind of envisaged.
“Hopefully in the months and years to come it can be a place for reflection, calm and tranquillity where we can remember Louis. A Japanese memorial garden kind of exudes those attributes.
“I can’t thank you all enough. The people who have helped along the way and the donations from various businesses to make this project a realisation.”
The idea behind the garden was a quiet space to reflect on Louis’s life. It has two pagodas, an Arbour bench, an Acer tree at its heart which will turn red in warmer months, as well as a number of pink flowers, a reference to the famous Japanese cherry blossom.
In the corner of garden is a slate with Louis’s name written in Japanese.
His name will soon be laser etched on the slate, along with cherry blossom. Louis was keen to go to Japan and had been planning a trip with his family before he died.