A memorial fund to celebrate the life of a music loving teenager killed at the Manchester Arena bombing has been launched five years after the atrocity. Eilidh MacLeod, 14, from the Isle of Barra, attended the Ariana Grande concert in May 2017 and was one of 22 people who died.
Now five years since the attack, the Eilidh MacLeod Memorial Trust has announced details of a £50,000 fund to help budding musicians follow their dreams. Eilidh was a keen bagpipe player and her band were placed at the 2016 World Pipe Band Championships, a source of huge pride for her and her family.
The Trust was set up in 2018 to support music education for youngsters, and it has already funded more than 30 musicians and groups across Scotland. Now it has revealed an anniversary fund which will hand out £50,000 worth of grants to support more musicians.
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Suzanne White, the trust’s founder, said Eilidh’s life 'was all about positivity, fun and friendship and that is exactly how we want her to be remembered when we mark five years since we lost her'. She said: "By creating this special funding round we want to support as many music groups as possible so they can deliver tuition based on Eilidh’s attitude to life where young musicians flourish in their abilities and confidence.
"We are proud of what we have achieved so far in Eilidh’s memory, supporting numerous young people in their music, but we know that more can be done. This fund will allow us to reach more music groups across Scotland, ensuring a greater number of young people have access to tuition and can continue to learn in a fun and positive environment, build life-long friendships and thrive in their talent.
"We want to hear from as many youth music groups as possible who feel that Eilidh’s Trust can help them." Beatrice Wishart, the MSP for the Shetland Isles, said: "It is hard to believe five years have passed since the dreadful Manchester Arena attack.
"While the events of that day robbed so many lives, including 14-year old musician Eilidh MacLeod, I am pleased to support Eilidh’s Trust and their work in her memory which supports young people and their music."
Applications for the fund are now open, anyone interested in applying a small grant is asked to contact the trust for more information.
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