Jimmybus to remember murdered teen

11:59am Friday 1st August 2008

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MONEY is being raised to provide a minibus for the Scout group that murdered teenager Jimmy Mizen was a member of.

Jimmy, aged 16, was killed in an unprovoked attack outside a bakery near where he lived in Lee on May 10.

Around £17,500 has been collected for the minibus, which will be called The Jimmybus, from various donors with the target set at £20,000.

The 17-seater white minibus will be used by the 21st Lewisham North Scouts as well as St Thomas More School in Eltham, which Jimmy was a pupil at, and by elderly people in the Lee community.

Big, curving letters displaying The Jimmybus, will be printed on the side of the bus for everyone to see and to preserve his memory.

Jimmy's father Barry Mizen, aged 56, said: "The Jimmybus will be a tangible memory of our son, something we can see.

"We have found it very helpful to focus on other things and this is one of those, it's something solid to us.

"We've had hundreds and thousands of contributions, one way or another, £1 here, £1 there, and a few very big donations too."

The shoe repairer added: "It's very much a community raised thing and will be used in the community."

Eva Emilia specialist tea and coffee shop in Beckenham High Street has raised £601.55 for the minibus and was presented with a certificate by Jimmy's parents Mr Mizen and his wife Margaret.

Mr Mizen said the money raised by the shop was "a tremendous effort".

Jade Michaelides is Jimmy's second cousin and runs the business.

The 25-year-old of Hayes Road, Bromley, said: "After Jimmy died I felt I wanted to do something to help, but it's difficult, what can you do?

"I felt the community in Beckenham also would like to feel they were part of something.

"The Scouts were something Jimmy was fond of, something he was close to."

To make a donation to the Jimmybus funds visit jimmymizen.co.uk

• Jake Fahri, aged 19, of Milborough Crescent, Lee, will appear at the Old Bailey on August 21 charged with Jimmy's murder.