Gemma Main has organised a vigil for slain British backpacker Grace Millane. Photo / George Novak
Gemma Main has organised a vigil for slain British backpacker Grace Millane. Photo / George Novak
A sunset vigil for English backpacker Grace Millane will be held under Mauao this Saturday.
Organiser Gemma Main thought Mount Maunganui Beach was the "most peaceful and beautiful place in the world", and the perfect place to remember the 22-year-old whose body was found on Sunday afternoon in the WaitakereRanges.
"I feel really sad that Grace didn't get to experience the beauty of Mount Maunganui, so it's a way of bringing it to her," Main said.
Everyone was invited to attend the vigil, which would start at 8pm by the Mount Maunganui Surf Club.
She said the community would get together and share a moment of silence on the beach for Millane and she hoped to organise a group to perform a haka.
Grace Millane's body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday afternoon. Photo / Supplied
Main herself is originally from Essex, close to where Millane was from, and moved to New Zealand four years ago with her husband and children.
Main, along with many other New Zealanders who had been posting on social media since Millane's death, were emotional and wanted to hold the vigil to show Millane's family that people in New Zealand were standing beside them.
"We're sorry this happened to Grace in New Zealand and I feel like we kind of let her down.
"She came to New Zealand just like I did and unfortunately she's not going home. I feel really emotional about that and I want to do something."
Main said the vigil was also about the community coming together and standing up against violence. "We need to get the message out that violence in any shape or form is not tolerated in our community," she said.
Other vigils and walks had been organised around the country this week in Rotorua, Auckland, Wellington, New Plymouth, Nelson, Christchurch and Dunedin.
Mount Maunganui vigil for Grace Millane:
What: Vigil and moment of silence for slain English backpacker Grace Millane whose body was found in the Waitakere Ranges on Sunday. Where: Mount Main Beach, meet at the surf club. When: Saturday from 8pm.
