A fundraiser set up in memory of Luke Howe, a local teen from Trafford whose body was tragically found dead in a nearby river over the weekend, has already raised well over £40,000 for his school.
Luke, 14, went missing after school on Thursday, 18 January, with Greater Manchester Police issuing a massive appeal to help find him. However, his body was sadly recovered from the River Bollin in Hale the following day and despite the best efforts of the emergency services, he was deceased at the scene.
There are not believed to be any suspicious circumstances surrounding his death and GMP issued their deepest condolences to “Luke’s loved ones, his friends and family in what is a truly awful time”, stressing the importance they be given privacy at this time.
A Luke Howe memorial fundraiser was set up in the immediate aftermath by his aunt, Jessica Howe, with the family agreeing that all donations would go directly to his school, Brentwood Community College in Sale, known for its excellent standard of special education.
Writing in the description of the fundraiser, Jessica said: “As I’m sure so many of you are aware now, our beloved nephew/son/brother/grandson/friend Luke Howe was tragically found dead today.
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“Speaking with his sister, Lydia, we want to focus now on doing something positive in Luke’s name and we have decided we would love to fundraise for his school, Brentwood College…
“Brentwood is an outstanding school for SEND [special educational needs and disabilities] pupils with additional needs and we are hoping to fundraise for new soft play for the school for anyone who would like to contribute as, in his sister’s words, there was nothing he loved more.
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“If there is anything you can spare to help this school that did so much for Luke, we’d be forever grateful”. Since the GoFundMe went live over the weekend, more than £40k in donations has been raised for the school, with the funds going towards a new soft play area which he loved so much and deeply missed during lockdown.
The teen was described as the ‘biggest character’.Luke and his sister Lydia growing up.Credit: Family handouts
Posting an update and a link to the page following the overwhelming reaction of love, support and people paying their respects, Jessica wrote on Facebook, “Lydia and I had a moment last night when we looked at each other and couldn’t believe what you have all helped us achieve in 24 hours.
“Words will never express it. Please, please, please keep the efforts going… In the meantime though, I’m off to go focus on the family. Only love xxxxx”
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Speaking to the BBC, she went on to describe him as an “incredible young man” and “the greatest people person” who simply “loved happiness and joy”, adding that the response to the fundraiser has been “amazing” and that “people can be incredible in the darkest times”.
She signed off by stating, “If there’s something good that can come out of this for an incredible school that does so many amazing things for other children with similar challenges to our Luke, that will be something that will sustain us through.”
Our thoughts are with everyone near and dear to Luke and if you would like to donate to the Luke Howe fundraiser, you can do so HERE. Rest in peace.
Family pay tribute to father-of-two killed in Rochdale plane crash
Daisy Jackson
The family of a man killed in a light aircraft crash in Rochdale have paid tribute to a ‘deeply loving father and devoted husband’.
36-year-old Arian Abbasi was one of two men killed when an aircraft crashed into farmland in Littleborough in Rochdale last week, after travelling from Birmingham.
Emergency services rushed to the scene shortly after 11am on Tuesday 3 February, but sadly pronounced both men dead at the scene.
It’s believed there was no one else on board the aircraft, and there were no reported injuries on the ground.
Now, Arian’s family have issued a moving tribute to him. He was a pilot from Harrow in Greater London.
They described him as being a ‘deeply loving’ family man, whose passion was flying.
He was about to embark on a new chapter with a commercial airline in just a few weeks’ time.
His family said: “He lived his life for his family and friends, giving them his constant love, strength, and support.
“Flying was his passion, and he was on the brink of beginning an exciting new chapter with a commercial airline on 23 February; a dream he had worked toward with immense pride and determination.”
GMP investigations are now focused on finding part of the parachute system which contains propellant and hasn’t yet been located.
Finding the device has been ‘very difficult’ due to the nature of the terrain and the wide area over which it may have travelled.
It measures approximately 10 cm in diameter and 30 cm long and has a red anodised finish. It weighs less than 2 kg. It may have a silver metal collar attached at one end.
GMP said: “Please do not handle the device if you see it. If discovered, contact the police immediately via 101 or our Live Chat at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1056 of 03/02/26.”
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free bus travel to and from school
Emily Sergeant
Children who are currently living in temporary housing in Greater Manchester are set to get extra support with school travel.
In a move that was announced by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) at the end of last week, and following years of campaigning, homeless children living in temporary accommodation are now set to get free school travel on all Bee Network buses.
TfGM says it understands that some children end up a long way from their school when placed into temporary accommodation, and this leaves parents or carers with the difficult choice of either having to move them to a closer school, which ultimately disrupts their education, or having to pay unexpected travel costs.
While the Greater Manchester Strategy – which is the plan for the city region’s next decade – commits to reducing the number of families and children in temporary accommodation, and measures are also being taken to make sure residents have the support they need to ‘access, improve, and retain’ a decent, affordable home, this doesn’t tackle the immediate issue.
Homeless children in Greater Manchester will now get free school bus travel / Credit: TfGM
So, to help those families when they ‘need it most’, free bus travel to and from school is set to be provided, as subject to approval of this year’s Combined Authority budget.
The move comes after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham asked TfGM last year to look at options to help with the cost of travel.
“Using our locally-controlled Bee Network buses to support families when they need it most is the right thing to do,” Andy Burnham commented.
Of course, the long-term solution is no kids in TA and we’re working with our councils to achieve this in the next few years.
We can do it because GM will soon hit the point where we are building more council and social homes every year than we’re losing through right-to-buy. 👍🏻
“A move into temporary accommodation is often a massive upheaval for families and can be a worrying time. With this measure, the cost of travel to school will be one less thing for families to worry about.
“It will mean parents and carers don’t have to choose between an extra demand on their household budget and keeping their children with friends and teachers they know and trust.”
Danny Jones -
22nd January 2024 
