The Twickenham community came together to remember 20 years since the death of Amélie Delagrange in Twickenham Green on Sunday, 19 August.

At the memorial last Sunday, attendees included Twickenham residents, members of Richmond Council, and Colin Sutton, the former Detective Chief Inspector who led the investigation into Amélie's case.

She was 22-years-old when she was murdered by Levi Bellfield on August 19, 2004.

Richmond Council at the memorial unveiled a new pilot project in partnership with the Met to light the path across Twickenham Green, which the council say will make residents "feel safer crossing the park."

The new lighting is scheduled to be installed by Autumn 2024 and will be piloted for 12 months, with a review after six months to assess its impact.

Councillor Gareth Roberts, Leader of the Council said: "The loss of Amelie Delagrange shook our community and the country, and we still feel the impact of her loss today.

"As result of that senseless act and all the tragedies that have occurred across the country since, we have worked tirelessly to deliver on our promise to make the borough a safer environment for everyone. That's why I'm pleased to support this lighting project in tribute to Amelie's memory and as a sign of our continued effort to prevent tragedies like this from happening in the future."

The memorial included speeches from Cllr Roberts, White Ribbon Champion Cllr Katie Mansfield and DCI Sutton and was also marked by a performance from the Voices of Hope's Sisterhood Choir.

Cllr Mansfield commented: "In recent years, the borough has made strides in tackling VAWG. Richmond Council has rolled out various initiatives, including the Safe Space Marquee and bystander training programs, to support victims and educate the community.

"However, we must continue to raise awareness, challenge problematic views, and support each other to ensure such tragedy never happens again.

"This memorial is a symbol of our resilience and our commitment to a safer future by working together to make a difference."

Alongside the new lighting pilot, every Friday and Saturday night, the council operates its Safe Space Marquee at Richmond Station to "Demonstrate [it's] commitment" to stopping violence against young women and girls (VAWG).

Ahead of the memorial, Liberal Democrats Twickenham MP Munira Wilson, said: "Our community comes together to remember the tragic death of Amelie Delagrange who was brutally murdered on Twickenham Green twenty years ago. 

"She was only twenty-two when she was killed, and my thoughts go to her loved ones who will be remembering her on this day. 

"Sadly, violence against women and girls is still prevalent across our society today and we must be doing more to tackle this to ensure that everyone can feel safe within our communities."

To find out more about how Richmond Council is combating VAWG, click here.

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