NHS Cheshire and Merseyside August 2024 Blog
Wednesday, 14 August 2024
First and foremost I would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the three little girls who sadly lost their lives following the tragic events in Southport. Our thoughts are with all those who have been affected by this horrific incident.
I also want to acknowledge the heroic efforts of those who attended the scene and the staff at the hospitals that received and treated the injured. I would like to personally extend our gratitude to everyone involved.
Sadly, the grief and trauma felt by loved ones and the community in Southport and beyond, has been compounded by the civil unrest we witnessed in the days following the tragedy.
As an anti-racist organisation which prides itself on a zero-tolerance approach to racism, we condemn - in the strongest terms - the criminal actions that we have witnessed in our communities, the abhorrent racism and Islamophobia, and the derogatory comments which have appeared on social media.
The discriminatory behaviour and language that we have witnessed is totally unacceptable, and utterly deplorable - and sadly, we know that some people are feeling particularly vulnerable, both at work and at home, following these events.
If you have been affected by the recent events in any way, I would encourage you to come forward and seek help. Staff can access wellbeing support through their organisation, and Sefton Council have put together a really helpful resource summarising the support available to all on their website.
Despite these ugly scenes, it has been heartening to see our communities come together to pay their respects to those who have lost their lives, and to show solidarity with those facing deplorable acts of racism and intimidation.
Graham Urwin - Chief Executive