The heartbroken parents of a promising cricketer who died in Nottingham have paid tribute to their 19-year-old son today during a vigil held at his cricket club.
Barnaby Webber, fellow student Grace O’Malley-Kumar, and school caretaker Ian Coates were stabbed to death in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Today Barnaby’s ‘tribe’ at Bishops Hull Cricket Club honoured his ‘lovely soul’ with a vigil, his parents have said.
His mother Emma Webber hailed the club for its ‘outpouring of love and support’, telling the BBC it has helped with the family’s ‘healing’.
Mrs Webber’s tribute came as a host of sport matches held a minute’s silence today in memory of Barnaby and Grace, who were both keen young athletes.
The cricket club also revealed it had organised a memorial game for their ‘irreplaceable teammate and friend’.
Barnaby Webber’s heartbroken parents paid tribute to him today at a vigil held at his ‘true home,’ the Bishops Hull Cricket Club. A floral tribute in his honour was left at the club
Bishops Hull Cricket Club shared a picture of Barnaby in cricket whites in a post promoting a memorial match next weekend
Emma (left) and David Webber (right) said the support their family has received was ‘overwhelming’. Mrs Webber also revealed that Barnaby’s body would be ‘coming home’ on Monday, a move she said will be the ‘next really big step’ for their family
Mrs Webber said the support their family has received was ‘overwhelming,’ adding: ‘This is his true home, his people.’
‘Today we wanted to come and see what this wonderful club has done for him. It’s been healing,’ she told the BBC, adding the support ‘gives us strength’.
Mrs Webber recalled how several of Barnaby’s friends have come up to her and said that her 19-year-old son was ‘lovely’, ‘so much fun’ and helpful.
She shared how the vigil saw both ‘reflection and celebration’ from those who loved Barnaby, who was ‘cruelly taken away at the very prime of his life’.
Her husband David added that the support they have received from across Britain has been ‘amazing’.
Mrs Webber also revealed that Barnaby’s body would be ‘coming home’ on Monday, a move she said will be the ‘next really big step’ for their family.
The Webber family has been in contact with Grace’s family ‘a lot’ and hopes to get in contact with Ian’s family soon. Mrs Webber says the victims’ families are ‘intrinsically linked now’.
Promising cricketer Barnaby Webber (pictured) was stabbed to death early on Tuesday morning. His cricket club is hosting a memorial match in his honour next Saturday
Grace O’Malley-Kumar (pictured) was one of three people who died in the shocking incident
School caretaker Ian Coates (pictured) was the third person to die in the Nottingham attacks
Barnaby’s cricket club will host a memorial match in honour of the teen next Saturday, June 24.
The game will take place at 1.30pm and be captained by his ‘closest friends’ Ed Smith and Jakarta Allen-Skinner.
In a post shared on Twitter, Bishops Hull Cricket Club said that it would ‘love to see as many people as possible come along to join us in celebrating a wonderful life through something [Barnaby] loved, cricket’.
The club also shared a picture of Barnaby in cricket whites.
Barnaby, also known as Barney, was just 19 years old when he was stabbed to death in Nottingham on Tuesday.
The young man, along with his friend Grace O’Malley-Kumar, lost his life on his way home from a night out in the early hours of the morning.
A third victim, Ian Coates, 65, was then found stabbed to death nearby after his van was allegedly stolen.
Barnaby had been a student at Nottingham University, and has been described as an avid cricketer.
In a statement shared on Tuesday, Bishops Hull Cricket Club said that he had joined the team in 2021 and had been a ‘key part’ of the club ever since, playing more than 30 games and taking 29 wickets.
On Friday, the club shared an image of tributes to Barnaby laid out on their playing field.
On visiting Ilkeston Road, where Barnaby died, his family said in a statement: ‘We chose to come to this dreadful space because we owe it to both Barnaby and Grace to let them know we are here.
Suspect Valdo Calocane was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder and appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Saturday
‘As has been expressed by so many already, heartbreak cannot begin to describe our loss.
‘As painful as this tribute today has been, it is yet another step forward on the very long dark journey we have been forced to take.
‘We would like to thank all at Nottingham University and the police for their professionalism, diligence, respect and care they have shown during this time.’
Suspect Valdo Calocane was charged with three counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder and appeared at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on Saturday.
He spoke only to confirm his name, reportedly giving the alias Adam Mendes.
Chairwoman of the bench of magistrates, Allison Folkett, remanded Calocane into custody to appear at Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday.
