The Southport attack is a horrifying incident that leaves all parents and the wider community deeply worried. Our thoughts and sympathies go to the families involved and the community of Southport. If you want to give, then please follow this link to the official fundraising page here.
Our Local Resilience Team have collected some useful resources for anyone running a community venue, to review their own safety and security; and for anyone who works with children and young people who may be suffering trauma from this or similar incidents.
The civil unrest over the last week, and which landed in Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent over the weekend is deeply saddening. Support Staffordshire and all of you, our members, exist to bring communities together, to forge stronger links between people, to help the marginalised and vulnerable. That some people from our own towns could think violence against those seeking sanctuary from war, or targeting people because of their religion or race, will like me, leave you feeling sick in your stomach.
But we must not despair. We must with greater vigour continue to do what we do best, making Staffordshire Stronger, together. If you are feeling anxious about what to do, here are some tips to get you started:
- Look after your team – staff, volunteers their immediate family: check in with them and their welfare
- Adjustments – does anyone need to work from home, leave early or take a taxi rather than a bus?
- Review your risk – does your brand or purpose make you a potential target, or might someone mistakenly think it does?
- Update plans – ensure your emergency plans are up to date with current contact details and escalation policies
- Property – do you need to change your opening times, public access, or other security measures?
- Socials – whilst you may wish to put out strong or defiant messages, consider this pragmatically rather than on principle – what matters most right now? Consider the big picture and calming immediate tensions
- Be Positive – the real counter to violence and unrest is to squash it with kindness – emphasize the good you and your team do, every day. Everything isn’t awful, it wasn’t all better in the past, people are nice, and they undertake selfless acts of kindness all day, every day – let the world know.
You can find a lot more detail, links, and further support at our wonderful partners at The Voluntary Sector Emergencies Partnership (VCSEP) here where you can also sign up to their enews.
Whilst the ferocity of these incidents is destabilising, I remain confident that ultimately what we and you all do is much stronger and more powerful, just quietly but doggedly building communities, person by person, week in week out. Keep doing it, it does make all the difference.
And if you need a listening ear or some specific advice, call us!
Garry Jones (he/him)
Chief Executive
Support Staffordshire
