Olivia will always be remembered. Her friends, family and school friends come regularly to the churchyard with flowers, to sign her memorial book or light a candle by her photograph.
But everyone felt that more was needed to keep Olivia in our thoughts forever. Jo and Mesut decided that they wanted to pay tribute to their daughter by establishing a lasting memorial to her in St. Michael and All Angels parish church in Efenechtyd. The idea of a stained glass window was mentioned to St Asaph Diocese Archdeacon and his team when they visited the church.
Olivia was very artistic and her parents chose an image from her school art book and engaged Recclesia, a stained glass window designer from Chester, to design a window based on this image. The picture was a collage depicting the lane around the church in Efenechtyd.
£15,000 was needed to create and install the window. Within a week of receiving the quote, and undaunted by the amount, Jo and Mesut started a range of fundraising activities. Donations started flowing in from the local community, schools, and a host of other sources including local businesses. By February 2022, the target had been reached.
An application showing Recclesia’s window design was then submitted to the Church in Wales for permission to replace one of the plain glass windows in late January 2021 and by the end of March, permission was enthusiastically granted.
The new window was installed in September 2022, replacing one of the existing, clear church windows. Over 100 people attended a service of dedication on 10th October 2022 when the new window was unveiled.
Jo said:
“We had a lovely dedication ceremony on Saturday.
“Olivia is probably one of very few people in the world to have their own artwork in their own memorial, which makes her window even more special in its own right.
“We are delighted with the window and look forward to everyone coming to see it.
“I’m very proud of our community.”
Olivia’s memory will live on through her artwork in St. Michael and All Angels parish church and will give countless number of people enjoyment whilst experiencing the peace and tranquillity of this very special place.
