A week’s newspaper’s fund-raising drive in memory of murder victim Brianna Ghey has raised £40,000 to support schoolchildren on its patch.

The Warrington Guardian established the Peace in Mind campaign working alongside Brianna’s mum, Esther, to create a legacy for her daughter.

It aims to raise money for the Mindfulness in Schools Project (MiSP) to improve mental health and wellbeing support for schoolchildren across the country, starting in Warrington.

Reporter Tom Bedworth, who first suggested the campaign to Esther, said he was “incredibly proud” to have spearheaded it.

Tom told HTFP: “From the moment a member of the public tipped me off about Brianna’s death, I knew that I had a responsibility as a local reporter to cover her death sensitively.

“As a result of this, I have been able to build a respectful working relationship with Brianna’s mother, Esther, ever since we first met.

“When I suggested launching a campaign in Brianna’s memory, Esther leapt at the chance, and we haven’t looked back.

“It’s important to Esther and to the Warrington Guardian that something good can come out of such a horrific crime – we won’t stop working until we have given Brianna the legacy that she deserves.”

Brianna was just 16 when she was stabbed to death in February last year.

Two teenagers who cannot be named for legal reasons were subsequently found guilty of her murder.

Esther Ghey completed the Great North Swim in the summer of 2023, raising more than £20,000 for MiSP, while the Newsquest-owned Guardian’s campaign aims to raise £50,000 in total.

The cash would pay for almost 100 members of school staff in Warrington to be trained by MiSP in mindfulness practices.

For more information about the Peace in Mind campaign, or to donate, go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/briannagheymemorial