Elle Edwards' dad helps hand out Christmas hampers

Tim Edwards and Angie Churchill at Charlotte's Brightside in New Brighton

The dad of murdered Elle Edwards has joined forced with a Wirral-based charity to help spread some Christmas cheer.

Elle, 26, was shot dead on Christmas Eve 2022 at the Lighthouse Pub in Wallasey Village.

Her dad Tim set up the Elle Edwards Foundation in her name to help support other families who lose loved ones to guns and violent crime.

Ahead of the first Christmas Eve without Elle, Tim has been delivering Christmas hampers to families who need them, on behalf of the charity Charlotte's Brightside, which helped him when Elle was murdered.

Charlotte’s Brightside was founded in memory of Charlotte Churchill, who died in a car accident in 2011.

Charlotte, from Wallasey, was just 19 when she was killed instantly when the car she was in hit a tree on her way home from a day trip to North Wales.

Her death inspired her family and friends to come together to fundraise in her memory and eventually go on to create Brightside, named after her favourite song by The Killers.

It was intended as a meeting place for youngsters where they could hang out and take part in fun activities, along with developing their skills, capacities and capabilities so they would be able to contribute to society as mature and responsible individuals.

It now has a social supermarket, lunches, daytime activities for the community and lots more, including a children's cookery club cook for the homeless.

Tim, supported by his friend and walking buddy, Scouse comedian John May, helped pack hampers containing food, and toys on 21 December.

The hampers were then delivered to nearby St Peter and Paul's school to be distributed in the local community to families who need them.

Angie, Charlotte's mum said: "People always say to us 'you really help the community' but it also helps me, it helps me have a purpose, as Charlotte's mum still, and it gives me so much.

"Tim's been brilliant, and all the people that have come to volunteer, everyone it just absolutely brilliant. It's amazing what people do for us".

Tim told ITV Granada Reports it was good to give something back to a community which has helped him through the months since Elle's murder.

He said: "It's a sanctuary for everyone who needs help, and the girls here have helped me this year.

"It's good to have someone to talk to who's gone through something similar. Me and Angie have good talks, we help each other, so it's the least I can do."

When asked if Elle would be proud of her dad, Tim added: "She'd be laughing her head off, saying 'you haven't half changed dad, you should be in the pub by now'."

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