'My child is valued': Ronan Kanda's mum hopes murdered teen's memorial can help others
The emotional mother of a teenage knife crime victim who was killed yards from his home has said a new memorial bench shows her son's life "was valued".
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There were tears and plenty of emotional words from Ronan Kanda's mother Pooja at a ceremony to honour his life, during which a bench in his memory, which is hoped to act as a catalyst to bring the community together rather than be divided by knife crime, was unveiled on Friday morning
The commemorative bench was officially opened at Hill Avenue playground in Lanesfield, not far from where the 16-year-old was stabbed to death in a case of mistaken identity in June 2022 when he was just a few yards from his family home.
Ronan's family, Wolverhampton MP Pat McFadden, and representatives of organisations behind the making and installing of the bench - which has the words 'You'll never walk alone', in honour of Ronan's favourite football team, Liverpool - were all present.
Mr McFadden has been supporting the 'Justice for Ronan Kanda' campaign set up by Pooja and other members of Ronan's family – it aims to pressure the government into an outright ban of the sale of machetes, zombie knives and other threatening blades online.
After the Wolverhampton South East MP officially unveiled the bench, which will allow all members of the community to sit and reflect quietly, Mrs Kanda addressed the group with an emotional speech which had many in tears and in which she spoke of the emptiness she felt without her son.
She said: "Everyday is a day that I don't want to live because Ronan isn't here by my side.
"He shined through my life, he was so loving and caring. I absolutely adored him and every day without him is hard, I can't begin to tell you how hard it is, what happened was what no parent wants to go through and shouldn't have to.
"I think of Ronan every moment of every day, but I think it is wonderful the whole community of which he was a member will have something to remember him by, something that uses his name.
"I am so grateful to everyone who has supported us from the politicians, to the organisations that have worked so hard to make and bring this memorial here and to everyone who has supported the campaign. I just hope we can see it through to a point where the government is in a position to ban the sale of bladed articles online and so called zombie knives and swords."
Fundraising and construction work on the memorial bench was supported by Openview Security Solutions Ltd Hilton Main Construction Ltd, RH Builders Ltd and Wolverhampton Homes.
Mr McFadden said: "My constituents the Kanda family have shown incredible courage since the terrible murder of Ronan and campaigned to keep his memory alive through their work on anti-knife crime.
“The memorial bench will provide a quiet space for rest and reflection in Ronan’s memory who was loved by so many and who lost his life in such tragic circumstances.
"The government is in a period of consultation over restricting the sale of bladed weapons and to extend the scope of legislation against them and the likes of swords, one of which killed young Ronan. Online in particular is a real problem, area and I will continue to monitor the whole subject on the family's behalf and to try and make communities safer."
Ettingshall South and Spring Vale councillor Harbinder Singh who attended the ceremony said he knew Ronan to be a kind, caring member of the community who would always help in any way he could and he would support the family and campaign in any way he could.
