Fundraiser in memory of Luke Howe passes huge £45,000 milestone
More than £45,000 has currently been raised in memory of a 14-year-old boy whose body was found in a river.
Luke Howe (Image: GMP)
Luke Howe, who police said had learning difficulties in a public appeal, went missing from his grandparents' home in Hale just before 6.15pm on Thursday (18 January). A major search operation was launched by emergency services, as members of the public and Luke's loved ones also came together to scour local areas.
Sadly, Luke's body was found in the River Bollin on Friday. There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death, police said.
Following news of his death, Luke's auntie Jessica Howe launched a GoFundMe page in his memory. Almost £30,000 was raised in less than 24 hours.
Now, the fundraiser has passed the £45,000 mark after generous donations from members of the public. The money will go towards new equipment and a soft play at Brentwood College in Sale – a school for children with special educational needs and the school that Luke attended.
On the fundraiser, which has a target of £50,000, Jessica wrote: "As I’m sure so many of you are aware now, our beloved nephew/ son/ brother/ grandson/ friend Luke Howe was tragically found dead today. Speaking with his sister, Lydia, we want to focus now on doing something positive in Luke’s name and we have decided we would love to fundraise for his school, Brentwood College, in memory of his name.
"Brentwood is an outstanding school for SEND pupils with additional needs and we are hoping to fundraise for new soft play for the school for anyone who would like to contribute as, in his sister’s words, there was nothing he loved more. If there is anything you can spare to help this school that did so much for Luke, we’d be forever grateful xxx."
Following the discovery of Luke's body on Friday, Detective Inspector Rick Lees, of GMP's Trafford Division, said: "Our condolences are with Luke's loved ones, his friends and family in what is a truly awful time. This is a tragic case of a young teenager who has sadly died in terrible circumstances and our thoughts remain with Luke's family.
"Luke's family are being supported by specially trained officers and ask for their privacy to be respected while they grieve their loss. I would like to praise the work that officers and emergency services personnel put in to try and find Luke. This was a complex search in difficult conditions, and their work is appreciated.
"I would also like to thank the members of the public who helped with the search or shared our appeal. Your help in responding to this incident is hugely appreciated."
