A Lancashire woman whose husband was killed in a bottle attack at a London nightclub has started an online campaign to ban glass bottles in city centre venues.
AdvertisementJane Sherriff, whose husband Philip bled to death in April after a Jessie J concert, started a Facebook group two weeks ago called Bottle Stop – and already nearly 20,000 people have backed her crusade.
The group, started on August 17, calls on the government to stop late night bars and clubs serving drinks in glass bottles.
Jane, 35, said: “I felt like I had to do something, and something positive had to come out of Phil’s death. It can’t all be bad.
“It came to me about six weeks ago that I needed to do something.”
From her desk in her home just outside Preston Jane has attracted the backing of celebrity names and linked up with other campaigners.
“I thought Facebook would be the best way and I’m astounded by how many people have felt the same,” said Jane.
“Currently it’s all very emotional but I think we can make the government take notice.
“We’ve been re-tweeted by John Bishop and Stephen Fry. Jason Manford put us on his Facebook page too.
“I felt like I had to do something. I find it distracts me from what’s happened and I like to feel like I’m doing something.”
Phil was stabbed in his neck with a glass bottle while at the Jessie J concert in London and lost 5 pints of blood.
He was rushed to Royal London Hospital and was in a coma for four days before his ventilator was turned off on April 8.
Jane said: “What would Phil think about it all? I think he would be highly amused. He always thought I was addicted to Facebook but I’m sure he’d like what’s happening.”
During her research before setting up the group Jane found the POP Campaign, set up by Marjorie Golding in 2005 after he son was attacked with a bottle while working in a bar.
Her and Marjorie have teamed up to kick-start a petition, currently with 30,000 signatures, back into life which calls for a government debate on changing glasses in late night bars to polycarbonate and plastic bottles.
Jane’s two children, who are 8 and 5, are also getting involved in the campaign – helping their mother count the Facebook likes which are racing up all the time on the group.
She said: “I’m not sure they know exactly what’s going on but I tell them it’s my work and it’s for Daddy. They know there’s a lot of people who are feeling the same way about this.”
A man is due to stand trial at the Old Bailey on October 29 accused of the murder of Philip.
You can like the Facebook page here and sign the petition here.