This Friday (February 7) marks a year since Preston mum Rosie Darbyshire, 27, was murdered by her boyfriend, yards from her home in Village Drive, Ribbleton.

As Rosie’s friends and family still try to come to terms with the shocking events around her death, Rosie’s best friend, Denni Hartley is planning a colourful event to remember the vibrant young mum who lit up the lives of everyone she knew.

At 6pm on Friday, Denni is asking for as many friends and supporters to bring candles, glow sticks and lanterns to light up Rosie’s Memorial Garden in memory of her friend.

She says: “Anyone who knows Rosie’s knows how colourful and bright she was.

“Feel free to bring glow sticks, balloons, candles, lanterns anything bright to lighten up the sky for our beautiful girl with as much colour as possible. Let’s get that sky filled with love for our beautiful girl.”

Since Rosie was killed in February 2019, her family and friends have made sure her memory is treasured.

In October a memorial garden was unveiled after volunteers dug out the ground to add a seating area and planting to create a special place to remember Rosie.

Read more: A memorial garden has been created in memory of Rosie Darbyshire

Following a campaign by the Lancashire Post and Rosie’s family, Labour MP Graham Jones also wrote to the Home Secretary Priti Patel to ask for Clare’s Law – the disclosure scheme which warns women about potentially violent partners – to be tightened.

The campaign called for applications to be processed more quickly after it emerged Rosie had made a Clare’s Law application to Lancashire Police 11 days before she was killed.

The Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme – known as Clare’s Law – is intended to provide information that could protect someone from being a victim of such an attack.

However, applications can take up to 35 days to process.

In May 2019 Rosie’s boyfriend Benjamin Topping pleaded guilty to her murder and was jailed for life.

To sign the petition in memory of Rosie, click here.

Will you be attending Rosie’s memorial event? Let us know in the comments section.