Sara Sharif: Smiling, singing and dreaming of X Factor

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An exuberant young girl with an affinity for singing, dreams of appearing on The X Factor and a caring nature towards her peers, Sara Sharif suffered a harrowing existence at home. Her father and stepmother inflicted a “daily living hell” on her, and in August last year, her body was discovered at her residence in Woking. Sara’s uncle, Faisal Malik, has since been found guilty of causing or allowing the child’s death, while her father, Urfan Sharif, and his wife, Beinash Batool, were convicted of murder.

Shedding further light on the story, Jacquie Chambers, headteacher at St Mary’s Primary School in West Byfleet, shared her reflections on Sara, a former pupil of the institution. Chambers said that despite Sara’s struggles at home, she was a vibrant and loving person at school, eager to sing and dance, and always happy to assist younger students on the playground. Chambers added that memories of Sara’s singing talents persisted even after her death and motivated the school to establish the Sara Singing Award, an annual prize which serves to recognize the most promising singers at St Mary’s.

Additionally, Sara’s school chums erected a buddy bench in her memory, a piece of furniture that is part of a local scheme that allows pupils to communicate their desire to make friends with peers on the playground. A memory box, containing mementos and photos of Sara, also stands in Chambers’ office, serving as a permanent testament to the girl’s legacy.

Following Sara’s death, staff at St Mary’s hosted a memorial ceremony to celebrate her life. During the service, a white feather floated down from the sky – for Chambers, an omen that Sara’s spirit still dwelt among them. In a heart-warming gesture, children shared their happiest memories of Sara at the solemn gathering. A touching and poignant affair, the memorial underscored that while Sara may be gone from this world, her memory will live on forever

Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More

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