Barnaby Webber’s family and friends celebrated his 20th birthday at ‘Barney’s Bar’

Barnaby’s friends and family gathered in the village of Bishop’s Hull on the 13th January to celebrate what would have been his 20th birthday.

It was in effect a birthday party and held at his old cricket club, where those who attended shared memories of Barnaby buying drinks from “Barney’s Bar”, which was named after him following his death.

The celebration saw people come from across the country and was evidently a bittersweet evening where Barney’s absence was hugely felt.

Barney’s teammates at Bishops Hull Cricket Club organised the event, including Ed Smith who told the ITV: “I thought it was the best way to put it together – to get his all his friends and family here at the cricket club, where he spent most of his time, with his bar, Barney’s Bar, that we raised from a fundraiser we put on in mid summer. We thought a bench, maybe a tree but what would Barney want? I think we settled on a bar – he’d quite like that!”

More friends spoke at the event saying that he “was one of the best friends you could have” and how their friendship was more like a “brotherhood”.

Dave Webber spoke of life after the tragic events telling the ITV: “It’s the world we live in now. I went to bed on the 12th (of June) and I woke up on the 13th a different person, a different man and that’s the man I’m going to be for the rest of my life and I have to, somehow, work out how that life is going to be for me, because I’m still not sure.

“But I’d like to just get what’s happening out the way (the court case), get that boxed off and then move on from where I am right now.

“I need to somehow work out my ‘new normal’. I need to work out where my new normal is. Because I don’t know where my new normal is. But until justice is served, until we end up where we need to be I can’t focus on anything else. It encompasses my life.”

Barnaby’s dad also spoke of how “touching” it was to hear stories of Barnaby from his friends and how “lovely” the event was in keeping his legacy alive.

Barnaby was fatally struck on Ilkeston Road in the early hours of 13th June alongside fellow University of Nottingham student Grace O’Malley Kumar. Ian Coates a 65-year-old caretaker was also killed as part of a series of attacks the same morning.

Valdo Calocane, 32, has pleaded guilty to three counts of manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.

Featured Image via ITV

Related articles recommended by this author:

• Families of Grace and Barney vow to get justice after man pleads not guilty to murder

• The Killers pay tribute to Barnaby Webber during Reading Festival set

• Grace Kumar died after trying to save Barney from knifeman in Nottingham student attacks