FAMILY and friends are to celebrate Nell Jones’ life on Saturday as her family launches a charity supporting young people across the north west.

Nell, from Goostrey, was a student at Holmes Chapel Comprehensive School, and was one of 22 people killed in the bombing at the Ariana Grande concert at Manchester Arena in May 2017.

Nell would have been 15 on Monday, when students at the school laid pebbles they had decorated in a Garden of Memories, which is due to open at the school next month.

Nell’s life will be celebrated this weekend at Nell’s Spring Ball, a sold-out black tie evening at The Mere in Knutsford, at which The Remembering Nell Foundation will be launched.

The foundation aims to improve the lives and wellbeing of young people in the north west, and the ball will see the announcement of the charities it will be supporting over the next 12 months.

The 350 tickets for the ball sold out in two weeks, and the evening will be attended by Nell’s parents Jayne and Earnest and her brothers Sam, William and Joseph.

“The ball will be about celebrating Nell and how she was, and I hope everyone has a fantastic evening,” said Sam.

“As well as celebrating Nell’s memory the evening will be celebrating the launch of the foundation, which will be supporting young people whatever their needs are.

“It’s nice to be able to give something back to the country, and it’s something we can do in Nell’s name.

“She would have been proud to be involved in something like this.

“Monday would have been Nell’s 15th birthday, and we want the ball to a celebration of her.

“It’s not been an easy week, but the messages we have had have been absolutely phenomenal and have really helped.”

The foundation plans to fund special projects for each of the charities it will be working with over the coming year.

Nell’s family has been consulted over the creation of the Garden of Memories at the school, for which Sam was full of praise.

“The garden is fantastic, and the decorated pebbles are beautiful,” he said.

One of the students who laid a pebble on Monday was Freya Lewis, a close friend of Nell, and who was seriously injured in the Manchester Arena bombing.

Nell’s Spring Ball runs from 7.30pm, and it is planned to make it an annual event.