JAMES BULGER HOUSE APPEAL
Red Balloon Learner Centre for bullied children

Earlier this year, Esther Rantzen CBE, Denise Fergus and Dr Carrie Herbert launched the Red Balloon Learner Centre's James Bulger House Appeal, aimed at raising £1m to fund the first refuge of its kind in the North of England.

Denise Fergus, mother of murdered toddler James Bulger, is giving her full backing to the appeal, which will create the first tangible memorial to James Bulger in the city. Two year old James was abducted from a shopping centre and murdered on a railway line in Liverpool, by two ten-year-old boys on 13th February 1993. Sunday 16th March 2008 would have been James's 18th birthday, and Denise believes that the creation of James Bulger House is a long-overdue and fitting memorial to James and a celebration of his life which was cut cruelly short at such a young age in a crime that shocked the world.

Esther Rantzen, who is a patron of Red Balloon, was inspired to develop the idea of a memorial to James during a visit to Liverpool in 2007.

Said Esther: "No life has been more cruelly cut short than that lovely two-year-old, who was murdered fifteen years ago. It is extraordinary that there is no memorial to him, no way for his family and his community to remember him with hope, to help other children in his name. Now there will be. With the help of people in Liverpool and around the world who love and care for children, together we will create James Bulger House, to protect our children and save more lives. The house will be run by the Red Balloon charity, who give hope to children who have been so badly bullied that their lives are at risk. In James's memory, they will save and transform many more lives of Merseyside's children in the years to come."

Denise Fergus said: "Nothing can ever bring James back and I have got to live with that knowledge. I will never forget my son and I still get messages of support from all over the world. I have witnessed the work that Red Balloon does with bullied children and there is a very great need for a learning centre refuge for victims of bullying on Merseyside. I was shocked to learn how many children commit suicide every year because of bullying. If James Bulger House can help save the life of just one child in that terrible situation then it will be a fitting tribute to my son. We need to raise one million pounds to buy a house in Liverpool for Red Balloon. Any donation, no matter how small, will help raise the money we need. I am appealing to everyone for their support and I'm sure we can count on the public to be generous in making donations to this very worthy cause."

Dr Carrie Herbert, Founder and Director of Red Balloon, is determined to make a Red Balloon Liverpool a reality before too long.

Carrie said: "To be able to set up a Red Balloon in Liverpool in memory of James Bulger is the most important development yet in our on-going work to help bullied children rebuild their lives. Over the last twelve years, I have witnessed first-hand the devastating effects of both physical and psychological bullying. I'm pleased to think that Red Balloon will be able to ensure that James's tragedy is never forgotten and that young people in Liverpool who are subjected to all forms of bullying will have a precious and, in some cases life-saving, resource.'

Donations can be made at: www.justgiving.com/jamesbulger

or sent to:

Red Balloon James Bulger House Appeal
PO Box 1305
LIVERPOOL
L69 3LB

or visit the Red Balloon web site www.redballoonlearner.co.uk