St George's Hall lit up green for The Vivienne's vigil
(Image: Andrew Teebay Liverpool Echo)

Community Vigil, St George’s Plateau | January 2025

In January 2025, following the sudden passing of a much-loved public figure with deep roots in Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ community, the city needed a space to grieve together. No formal event was planned and there was no existing infrastructure to coordinate one.

Within three days, a public vigil had been organised, resourced, and delivered at St George’s Plateau, drawing approximately 1,000 people.

The Snapshot

Date: January 2025
Location: St George’s Plateau, Liverpool
Attendance: Approximately 1,000 people
Lead time: 3 days from conception to delivery
Role: Sole organiser and press spokesperson
Media coverage: BBC, ITV Granada, Sky News, PinkNews, Metro, The Mirror, The Independent, Liverpool Echo, and others

Crowd with phones lit up
(Proudly Said)

The Challenge

The circumstances were demanding from the outset. St George’s Plateau had a prior commercial booking, with a production team’s vehicles already in the space. There was no budget. Media interest was immediate. And the event needed to feel worthy of the moment: properly resourced, dignified, and inclusive.

All of that needed to happen in three days, with constant communication with the individual’s family.

How It Came Together

Liverpool City Council was engaged to confirm the venue, which included facilitating the relocation of the production team’s vehicles at short notice. MSP provided professional AV at a substantially reduced rate, with local businesses contributing financially to make it possible.

St George’s Hall and the Liverpool Empire were among the iconic buildings that lit up green on the day as a mark of tribute. Open Media, Liverpool One, and the Royal Court Theatre donated space on their public-facing screens to display tributes throughout the day.

Digital Screens showing 'In memory of James & The Vivienne"

Press liaison was handled throughout, with media enquiries managed and coordinated from the point the event was announced, alongside the news of their passing.

The Coverage

The vigil was covered nationally and internationally, including:

Headlines from The Vivienne's Vigil
Headlines from The Vivienne’s Vigil

The Outcome

Approximately 1,000 people gathered at St George’s Plateau in a peaceful, moving, and well-resourced public event. Delivered within three days, with no formal budget at the point of conception, the vigil gave Liverpool’s community a proper space to come together.

What This Demonstrates

  • Crisis response and rapid event organisation under significant time and emotional pressure
  • Stakeholder engagement across public sector, corporate, and creative partners
  • Sponsorship and in-kind support secured at short notice
  • Press liaison and media management at national and international scale
  • Community-centred event delivery with dignity and sensitivity

For consultancy, event organisation, community engagement, or communications work, get in touch at hey@proudlysaid.co.uk