We’re hoping the market will be very successful.
- Casey Veal
The family of murdered Bendigo baby Zayden Veal-Whitting is organising a market to raise money for the playground to be built in his honour.
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The market will be on Saturday, October 5 from 10am to 3pm at Weeroona College, White Hills.
Zayden's mother Casey Veal is coordinating the event and said there would be more than 40 stalls offering rides, face painting, craft activities and food.
Ms Veal said the family was aiming to raise $50,000 to put towards the cost for a playground at Lake Neangar in Eaglehawk.
The council gave the family plans for the playground on Thursday.
"We’re hoping the market will be very successful and that anyone who would like to come down, will come down," Ms Veal said.
She said her son Xavier, Zayden's older brother, was involved in preparations for the market.
Ms Veal said there would be a "balloon release" at the end of the event, where everyone would let go of a helium balloon and think of Zayden.
"You can put a message on them before we let them go," Ms Veal said.
"(Xavier) wants there to be as many as possible so Zayden can see it from heaven."
She said Xavier had written a bedtime story book about his memories of Zayden.
"It took us a long time to write it because he closes up a lot," Ms Veal said.
She said Xavier often brought his deceased brother into everyday situations, referring to him as "My Zayden".
"He’s been saying it a lot, especially of late, because it’s a more positive thing. He’s quite excited to sit at the market and show people (the book)."
She will make copies of the book and sell it at the market to help raise money.
There will also be "Zayden's Army" jumpers and t-shirts on sale.
Ms Veal said she was looking forward to speaking publicly about Zayden for the first time.
"The market has been really good, it's given (Xavier) and me an opening to talk."
She said, organising the market also gave others a chance to bring up Zayden in conversation without saying, 'I'm sorry'.
Ms Veal wants to "raise awareness of what happened to Zayden and that he was a person, that he matters so much".
"He’ll never be forgotten that way because someone will always speak of him."
Ms Veal said the playground in Zayden's honour would give the family a place to go to remember him.
She said the grief over the brutal loss of her son came in waves.
"Sometimes you can find it easy for months and then the grief will come back along and you drown in it."
Find out more about the market at facebook.com/zaydensarmy
