Gerard Holden

13th June, anniversary of the worst day in my life when I lost my brave & beautiful daughter Grace in the Nottingham attacks. Grace was the love of my life. The best of me and the best of my wife Sinéad. Thank you all for coming to grieve with us, the Coates family and a special I’ll thanks to @redrumlisa for being there and representing the warm people of Nottingham. Rev Dr Alan Mair gave a beautiful homily at St Paul’s Church, Lenton. We then walked across and laid a rose for my rose Gracie at Ilkeston Road. 🌹 This is the text of Rev Dr Alan Mair’s homily: beautiful words: my Homily for victims Grace, Barney and Ian June 13th 2026 We need few words to express why we are gathered here on the third anniversary of the brutal attack that left Grace, Ian and Barney dead and Sharon and Wayne who received life changing injuries. We gather with heavy hearts. We come before God carrying grief, anger, confusion, and sorrow. We remember, Grace, Barney and Ian whose lives were cruelty taken.  We pray for each other whose lives have been forever changed. In moments like these, words can seem inadequate. We ask questions that have no easy answers. Why did this happen? Why were precious lives lost? Why does violence continue to wound our communities? The Gospel does not pretend that suffering is easy to understand. Even Jesus stood before the tomb of his friend Lazarus and wept. The Son of God Himself entered into human grief. This reminds us that our tears are not a sign of weak faith. They are a sign of love. And God receives every tear we shed. We entrust them to the mercy of God, confident in the promise of Christ who said, "I am the resurrection and the life."  Death does not have the final word. Through His death and resurrection, Christ has opened the way to eternal life.  A tough concept to understand.  But last Saturday at the hockey tournament I felt the presence of Grace.  On the stands at the City Ground, I am certain Ian was cheering the fact that Forest stayed up while West Ham were relegated.  I am certain too that Barney’s cricket club feel his gentle presence as they go out to bat. Yet our prayer today extends beyond remembrance. We also pray for healing. We pray for parents whose hearts have been broken, for brothers and sisters, sons and daughters who miss a loved one, for friends carrying trauma, and for communities living in fear. The Christian response to violence is not indifference. Nor is it revenge. St Paul tells us: "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good." This is one of the hardest commands in the Gospel. Yet history shows that hatred never heals hatred. Violence never truly defeats violence. Only love, justice, mercy, and truth can break the cycle. We are called to become instruments of peace. In our homes, schools, parishes, and communities, we must build a culture where every person knows they are valued and loved. We must support young people, strengthen families, and work for justice. We must refuse to accept violence as normal or inevitable. The Church stands alongside all who suffer. We believe that even in the darkest moments, God has not abandoned His people. The Cross itself seemed like a victory for violence and death. Yet God transformed it into the source of salvation and hope. The resurrection assures us that darkness does not overcome the light. And we ask the Lord to make us bearers of His peace, so that through our words, actions, and witness, we may help build a society where life is cherished, communities are healed, and every person can live without fear. May the souls of all who have died through violence rest in peace. And may the peace of Christ, which surpasses all understanding, guard our hearts and minds, now and always. Amen. @EmilyMayTV @ITVCentral @SkyNews @MartinDaubney @redrumlisa @nottm_post @downingstreet @wesstreeting @jamesmurray_ldn @AlexDaviesJones