Tunisia terror attacks: Memorial to honour Midlands victims
A memorial is to be built for the victims of last year's Tunisia massacres, including the four Midlands tourists who died, it has been announced.
A separate memorial for all British victims of terrorism is to be located at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire, said Prime Minister David Cameron.
Black Country student Joel Richards, 19, his uncle Adrian Evans and grandfather Patrick Evans were among those gunned down on a beach in Sousse a year ago, while Sally Adey, from near Shifnal, lost her life in the attack at the Bardo Museum in March 2015.
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.
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.
A panel headed by former overseas development minister Baroness Chalker will now be appointed to select an artist and design for National Memorial Arboretum memorial.
The announcement follows a public consultation on the choice of location for the memorial which will be formally unveiled in the summer of 2017.
A separate consultation is to be launched for a memorial for the victims of the Sousse and Bardo Museum terrorist attacks.
Speaking before leaving the Nato summit in Warsaw, Mr Cameron said: "These memorials will be places where the family and friends of people killed in terrorist attacks can reflect and remember. By building them we are underlining our pledge to never forget the victims of these atrocities.
"An attack on British people anywhere in the world is an attack on us all. But these memorials will also stand as proof that we will not give up our way of life in the face of terrorism wherever it may be."
