Never forget: Black Country victims of Tunisia gun slaughter remembered one year on
A year on from the Tunisia massacre, friends, family and football fans have come forward to pay tribute to the three Black Country men who were killed.
University student Joel Richards, 19, his uncle Adrian Evans and grandfather Patrick Evans were gunned down on a beach in Sousse 12 months ago.
The one-year anniversary of the tragedy is Sunday and scores of well-wishers have this weekend shared their memories to ensure the loved and respected trio are not forgotten.
Joel, Adrian and Patrick had flown out to the holiday with Joel's younger brother Owen, who has just turned 17. He survived the slaughter which claimed the lives of his loved ones.
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Sandwell Council staff were this weekend remembering a much-missed colleague who was killed in the Tunisian terror attack a year ago.
Adrian Evans, who began working for Sandwell Council as an apprentice in 1983, was murdered along with his 78-year-old father Patrick and 19-year-old nephew Joel Richards on June 26 last year.
The terror attack left colleagues stunned and one year on his workmates said they are still struggling to come to terms with what happened to a man they described as 'the ultimate professional who would always go the extra mile for anybody'.
Earlier this year, staff at Roway Lane, where Adrian worked, joined with his family to mark what would have been his 50th birthday.
They unveiled a memorial area and bench next to his office window.
They also announced an apprenticeship awards scheme in his name.
Mr Evans had managed the authority's gas services team.
Adrian Scarrott, Sandwell's director of neighbourhood services, said the bench was a tribute to a much-loved and well-respected employee.
He said: "For the gas team, the bench is where they meet to particularly remember Adrian.
"His colleagues made it and created a special place in his memory.
"One year on we still find it hard to come to terms with what happened.
"I am sure Adrian and his family will be in all our minds especially this weekend.
"Adrian was well-liked and respected among all his colleagues and we remember him as the ultimate professional who would always go the extra mile for anybody."
There will be three prizes as part of the Adrian Evans Apprenticeship Awards – for business, craft and an overall honour.
Speaking at the unveiling of the bench, customer services supervisor Michelle Dawes, who worked closely with Mr Evans for years at the authority, said she continued to feel grief for his loss.
She said: "He had a very dry sense of humour and everybody wanted to work for him.
"I still can't believe it – it's left a big hole in everybody's lives.
"We wanted his family to know how much he was loved."
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Among those to come forward to offer their thoughts on the emotive anniversary is Joel's former headteacher, who paid tribute to the teen's 'generosity and kindness of spirit.'
Wood Green Academy head James Topham's emotional words about Joel came as it was revealed a minute's silence will be held on Monday across the country at 12pm.
Aspiring football referee Joel studied PE, biology and IT at Wood Green's sixth form.
Mr Topham said last night that Joel had left an indelible mark on everyone he was involved with at the academy and his memory will live on.
Joel's mother Suzy and Owen, from Wednesbury, have set up a charity called 'Smile for Joel' to raise money for other victims of to support others who have lost family members in a similarly harrowing manner to themselves.
They said the cause will 'help shattered and broken families who have become victims of a traumatic bereavement through homicide, including terrorism'.
All profits raised by the fundraising charity will go to Victim Support, which helps victims of all manner of different crimes.
Mr Topham told the Express & Star this was a fitting way to keep Joel's name alive.
He said: "One of the things that has been most missed is Joel's generosity and his kindness of spirit.
"I've said many times that there was nothing too big or too small for Joel - if you needed a ref for a school game he would rearrange his schedule just so he could help out.
"One of the things that staff have said was how he was always smiling, so the charity name Smile for Joel is very apt. His smile was infectious.
"The other thing Joel had was leadership qualities – people looked up to him and listened, and he helped people strive to do better."
At the end of last year, the school dedicated a science room to Joel, while a plaque was unveiled in the Sixth Form common room.
Joel, 78-year-old Patrick, 49-year-old Adrian and Owen – who were all massive Walsall FC fans – were a tight-knit group who did everything together. Just months before the massacre, which was carried out by IS gunman Seifeddine Rezgui, they travelled to Wembley to support Saddlers.
Mr Topham paid tribute to the down-to-earth family who ensured that both Joel and Owen had been brought up in the right manner and were much-loved.
"It's hard to believe that a year has passed.
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"Joel will always be in our thoughts and so will his family.
"He touched so many people during his life.
"Obviously we speak with Suzy quite a lot.
"Anything we can do to help and raise awareness is important.
"Joel was an absolutely lovely boy and a credit to his mum and his family.
"He had so much to give. I think that's what makes it so hard to understand."
Since their senseless murders a year ago, a series of memorial events have been held to ensure Joel, Adrian and Patrick are never forgotten.
This included a sports hall in Joel's home town being named after him. The Joel Richards Sports Hall was unveiled by his younger brother Owen at the official opening of Wednesbury Leisure Centre.
A sports hall at Stuart Bathurst School in Wednesbury was dedicated to Joel. The plaque at the Sports Hall reads: "This Sports Hall is dedicated to the memory of Joel Richards (Head boy 2010-2011) 1995 - 2005."
A university block was also officially dedicated to Joel at the University of Worcester, with chiefs unveiling a memorial plaque.
Joel was a physical education and sports coaching science student there. The university dedicated The Joel Richards Conference and Media Suite at the University of Worcester Arena to the teenager.
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The unveiling of the suite came less than two weeks after a memorial bench was unveiled to Sandwell Council worker Adrian, from Bilston, at his workplace in Oldbury.
Joel has also been recognised with a posthumous award. The 19-year-old's family was presented with BBC Get Inspired Unsung Hero Special Award, recognising his dedication to sport.
Joel was named the Birmingham County FA's referee of the year.
The memorials, charities and tributes will remain as a legacy to a promising young man and his family so cruelly taken on year ago.
