“I felt the courage, with all these amazing people around, to be here today”
16:37, 16 Aug 2026Updated 17:35, 16 Aug 2026
The sister of a teenager murdered two years ago has spoken of how she wanted to reclaim the city’s parks for young people to play in, as she organised a community fun day in the park where her little brother was killed.
Shanine Wright said she was ‘very proud’ to have faced her fears and helped organise the community event, which saw hundreds of people fill Rawnsley Park, between St Jude’s and Easton, on Friday.
It was the park where Shanine’s little brother, Darrian Williams, was stabbed by two other teenagers back on Valentine’s Day in 2024, and it was only the second time she had been in the park since that tragic day.
She teamed up with anti-knife crime charity Bin The Blade to host the community event, which featured free food for children, a bouncy castle, face painting, a host of stalls run by community organisations and local small businesses, as well as knife crime initiatives and the police’s anti-exploitation team.
There was also a big raffle with some major prizes donated by businesses across the city.
Darrian Williams(Image: PA)
“I’m here to reclaim the park back,” said Shanine. “I don’t want it to just be known as the park where Darrian lost his life – it should also be known as a park for the community, for the young people to come out and feel safe and to enjoy themselves,” she added.
Shanine had not been able to face going to the park where the attack took place that killed Darrian. The 16-year-old was just playing on the swings with a friend when two other teenagers approached and stabbed him.
CCTV images of an injured Darrian running onto nearby Stapleton Road to try to flag down passing motorists shocked the city. He was picked up by a van driver but didn’t make it to hospital and died in nearby Old Market.
OPINION
Shanine said coming back to Rawnsley Park was important for her. “I wanted to face this park with the community behind me, and this is my second time being in the park since Darrian’s death.
“I felt the courage with all these amazing people around to be here today,” she explained.
Shanine Wright, the sister of murdered teenager Darrian Williams, (pictured right) at a community funday she organised with Bin The Blade anti-knife crime campaigner Leanne Reynolds (left). The event took place in Rawnsley Park, St Jude’s – where Darrian was attacked – as part of a mission to reclaim the park for young people.(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)
She also said it was important to host events for young people in the community, with the police and other local services involved, to show that there are people who can support them.
“The police exploitation team are here, just educating young people on what exploitation looks like and letting them know that there are services out there that care about them and are there to support them, because a lot of young people feel there is no one there for them,” said Shanine.
“So we want to show them there is – that’s why we’re here today,” she added.
“I already feel very proud. We’ve had some amazing raffle donations, but I’m hoping it is a successful day and that there will be more of these events, and I can hold my head high,” she said.
The event was a fundraiser for Bin The Blade, the initiative founded by Leanne Reynolds.
11 year old Layshaya sold hand-made key rings for Bin The Blade at a community fun day organised by Shanine Wright, the sister of murdered Darrian Williams(Image: PAUL GILLIS / Reach Plc)
“We’ve brought the community together for knife crime prevention, and to promote Bin The Blade within the community, to bring awareness of our initiative out into the community,” said Leanne.
“Hopefully we can make them aware, and bring back the park so that it’s a safe environment, to let them know that the park is for children and we do want them to be used by children,” she added.