Yesterday marked the 8th anniversary of the death of Michael Causer, a gay teenager who was brutally attacked and murdered as he slept at a house party.
CREDIT: Michael Causer Foundation
A vigil was held in Liverpool yesterday in memory of Michael Causer – a gay teenager who was brutally murdered at a house party in 2008.
Following his death Liverpool’s LGBT community rallied around the Causer family, to raise money for legal and funeral expenses.
A number of speakers spoke at the vigil, including the Chief Constable, Cllr Dave Hanratty and Jnr Lord Mayor Zac Wilde.
Michael Causer’s parents, Marie and Mike set up the Michael Causer Foundation with the aim to “provide education, motivation and accommodation for young LGBT people”, like their son.
Friday 2nd August marks the fifth anniversary of Michael Causer’s death. Friends and family will gather for a vigil which will live link Liverpool with New York.
Five years ago, Michael Causer, 18 was brutally attacked at a house party and never recovered from his injuries. A judge ruled the assault was not homophobic, but it had been investigated by police as a hate crime and his family believe Michael died because of his sexuality.
As well as remembering Michael, the vigil will also honour Liverpool teenager Anthony Walker, who was murdered in a racist attack in Huyton in 2005; Sophie Lancaster, who was murdered in Bacup, Lancashire, in 2007 for the way she looked; and Ali Forney, who was murdered in New York in 1997.
At the vigil, everybody will be invited to write a private, personal pledge to be a friend – not only to people they know, but to others, including those who may be considered ‘different’ because of race, gender, sexuality or membership of an alternative culture.
Friday’s event – Lean On Me: The 5th Anniversary Vigil for Michael Causer – will see the foundation join forces with three other charities to highlight prejudice and hatred, and encourage people to play their part in preventing and tackling it.
Liverpool Lord Mayor Gary Millar and friends of Michael, Sophie and Anthony are due to speak at the vigil. Organisers are also due to link live via Skype to the Ali Forney Centre in New York, which provides housing for LGBT young people in Ali’s memory.
The vigil takes place at 6pm in Temple Square, Temple Street, in the heart of Liverpool’s Stanley Street Quarter.
It has been organised by the Michael Causer Foundation, in partnership with the Ali Forney Centre, The Anthony Walker Foundation and The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.
Gerry Proctor, chair of trustees at the Michael Causer Foundation, said: “Michael, like Anthony, Sophie and Ali, was a young person with his whole life ahead of him who was denied the chance to reach the great potential that he had.
“While much progress is being made, people continue to be victimised, attacked and killed because of who they are. We want this to stop. We believe that friendship is key – supporting our friends but also offering friendship, support and tolerance to people we don’t know.
“We are very pleased to be working with our partners to take a stand and we look forward to welcoming anybody who would like to join us at the vigil.”
The mother and father of a gay teenager who was murdered in 2008 have vowed to open a £1m gay hostel in his name.
CREDIT: Michael Causer Foundation
Marie and Mike Causer have begun a campaign to raise £1 million to open a hostel for LGBT Youth at risk. Their aim is to provide temporary emergency care for gay and lesbians who are at risk of living on the streets.
Marie and Mike Causer set up the Michael Causer Foundation to provide housing and support for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people at risk in northwest England.
Marie Causer said,
“I want money people have donated in Michael’s memory to be used to help young people.”
“These youngsters need somewhere to go where they feel safe and are surrounded by people who have gone through a similar experience.”
Mrs Causer hopes to help young people aged 16-25.
“I did not want a stone or a plaque to be put up in his memory. I wanted to do something worth doing and I am very lucky to have the support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community behind me.
In August, it will be five years since Michael died
Marie added,
“I miss him so much. I think it’s his personality. He was a strong person and his personality outshone everything. I’ve met people just like Michael and I think if I give up who is going to be there for them?
“We need this house, we need accommodation for them. People say to me ‘if Michael wasn’t gay, would you be doing this?’ I say ‘yes’. Michael used to call the bingo and do events for charity. So, on some level, I’m helping because he would.”
The Michael Causer Foundation’s Development Worker, Kieran Bohan, was appointed in April to help achieve its vision: to create a society where LGBT young people feel safe, happy and understood; at home in their communities; and supported and empowered to achieve their full potential.
Kieran said,
‘I was on a stall at a youth centre when I overheard a child explain to her friend how Michael died, “He was killed because he loved another boy.”
‘If a ten-year-old can understand that no-one deserves to die because of who they are or who they love, then everybody can.’
The Foundation aims to raise £1m by 2015 to create a safe haven and provide round-the-clock support.
The first openly gay Lord Mayor in the country, Cllr Gary Millar, a trustee of the Foundation, took on the role of first citizen of Liverpool in May.
To boost their efforts, he has nominated the Michael Causer Foundation as one of four charities he will support during his year in office.
On the anniversary of Michael’s death each year, the Foundation leads a vigil in Temple Square, in Liverpool’s Stanley Street Quarter.
Marie’s son, Michael Causer was brutally murdered five years ago, was 18-years-old at the time of his attack.
Michael’s family believe was assaulted because of his sexuality, at a house party in Merseyside, he died 10 days later in the Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery after undergoing extensive emergency surgery to his brain. However Michael’s killer was sentenced on the basis it was not a hate crime.
Two men were charged with murder, James O’Connor and Gavin Alker. Alker was acquitted of murder and manslaughter; O’Connor was convicted and sentenced to service life, with a minimum of 11 and half years before he could be considered for parole.
