A church service is being held to commemorate 15-year-old Harvey Willgoose, who was stabbed to death at a school in Sheffield
The mass is being held at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Handsworth ahead of an anti-knife crime march in the city centre.
Those taking part will walk from the Town Hall to Bramall Lane football stadium, with people asked to wear something red and white in tribute to the teenage Sheffield United fan.
Harvey died after being stabbed in the chest at All Saints Catholic High School in Granville Road on Monday. A 15-year-old boy has been charged with murder.
The march, organised by Sheffield United fans and charities Always an Alternative and Mums United, is set to start at 13:00 BST ahead of the match between Sheffield United and Portsmouth at 15:00
Tributes to Harvey have been left outside the stadium and at his school.
Speaking earlier this week, his parents, Caroline and Mark, described their son as “the life and soul of the party” and “a joy to be around”.
The couple said they hoped nobody else would have to go through what they were suffering.
Mrs Willgoose said: “Just think if it was your brother, sister, dad, mum. Can you imagine the devastation if you lost somebody through that?
“I don’t want to go to sleep because I don’t want to wake up and have to relive it all and remember it.”
Ahead of the service Mark McManus, the parish priest at St Joseph’s, said: “Harvey was a former pupil of St Joseph’s Academy and, along with the members of our community who attend All Saints High School, many will have been affected by his death – some very closely.
“Our mass will be offered for Harvey and his family, and friends, for the two school communities and for all who have been marked or touched by this terrible tragedy.”
A 15-year-old boy, who cannot be named due to his age, appeared at Sheffield Crown Court on Thursday charged with murder, possession of a bladed article and affray.
A provisional trial date has been set for 30 June.
Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
