Remembering the Berry sisters one year after their deaths

Almost one year after the deaths of six-year-old Chloe Berry and her four-year-old sister Aubrey, the small community of Oak Bay in the Victoria areacontinues to processthe loss.

Chloe was a student at Christ Church Cathedral School where staff, including Head of School Stuart Hall, are encouraging parents to pay extra attention to their children as the anniversary approaches.

"The younger ones may not remember consciously a year ago, but their bodies...will remember," said Hall.

"Stresses could start to show. It's important that parents are aware of that so that they can take measures to alleviate those stressors in the children."

The school also decided it was important to deliver Christmas cards of appreciation to the first responders in Oak Bay, some of whom responded to the Berry girls' call.

"It gives the children, their parents and the teachers a way to express their emotions in a positive light. Grief needs to be processed over time and the more we can talk about it and look for the positive in our memories, the easier it gets," said Hall.

As part of the school's Christmas concert, students were encouraged by the Berry girls' mother to perform an upbeat version of This Little Light of Mine a favourite of the girls to remember them in a positive and upbeat way.

Meanwhile, the district of Oak Bay has set up a memorial at the Willows Beach playground, to provide the community with a location to honour the girls. It will be up until Dec. 30.

The Berry girls were found dead in their father's apartment on Beach Drive on Dec. 25, 2017.

Andrew Berry, the girls' father, is charged with two counts of second-degree murder in connection with the deaths and is set to face trial on April 8 in Vancouver.