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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Amy Sharpe & Emer Scully

Family of murdered PCSO Julia James back plans for ‘Friendship Day’ in her honour

Tragic Julia James will be ­remembered at a global event called Friendship Day.

The murdered police community support officer’s daughter Bethan Coles hopes it will “show the world we will never forget her or the work she did”.

The event on July 2 will also raise funds for Rising Sun Domestic Abuse charity, which Julia, 53, championed.

Organiser Sally-Anne Bedford said Julia was “the kind of woman we’d all like to have as a friend”.

Sally-Anne, 48, said: “Julia’s family are happy about the idea of her being remembered for the things she did, rather than what happened to her.

“People will be encouraged to get together and have fun.

"It could be a coffee morning, a dog walk, wine with friends or Zoom calls, anything to bring people together and create the kind of work she inspired.”

Callum Wheeler, 22, was found guilty of the murder of Julia James [pictured] on April 27 (PA)
Bethan Coles, daughter of PCSO Julia James arriving at Canterbury Crown Court on April 27 (PA)

Last week Callum Wheeler, 22, was convicted of murdering the mum of two.

She was found dead alongside her Jack Russell Toby near Snowdown, Kent. Dashcam footage from gamekeeper Gavin Tucker nailed weirdo Wheeler.

The killing in April last year – weeks after Sarah Everard’s murder – inspired Sally-Anne, a writer from Runcorn, Cheshire, to start a Facebook group in her memory.

She added: “I’m around the same age and walk my dog, and I was thinking that maybe older women don’t get the same amount of attention.

“Lots of people felt the same way.”

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