Mar 23rd, 2017
The attack on London
By Rachel Whalley
How are you feeling? Yesterday, one man wreaked havoc on London’s streets attacking school children, tourists and police officers outside the Houses of Parliament. It’s hard to know how to respond at times like this. It would be understandable if you are sad, shocked or even angry.
But maybe you’re also feeling a bit proud? Yesterday was a dark day for Britain, but there were signs of unbelievable courage. Nurses and doctors rushing from a nearby hospital to help the injured. An MP putting himself in danger to help a wounded police officer. And school children trapped in parliament singing songs to rally the spirits of MPs and staff.
Different people from different backgrounds coming together in a crisis, and looking out for each other, in a very British sort of a way.
We still don’t know all the details of yesterday’s tragic events. But we do know we have a choice about what we do next. We could give into fear and hate. Or we could choose to celebrate the courage and everyday goodness that we saw as well.
Here are three suggestions of what you could do this evening – but it’s totally up to you if any of it feels right:
Donate to London’s Air Ambulance. Their advanced trauma team were some of the first on the scene yesterday. They are funded by donations so every pound given today could help save lives.
Donate to the Metropolitan Police Benevolent Fund. Police officers put themselves in the path of danger every day. Sometimes, they pay the ultimate price as Keith Palmer did yesterday. This charity supports police officers and their families who have been affected in the line of duty.
Write to your MP. We don’t always see eye to eye with our MPs about everything. But yesterday’s horrific events are a reminder that the work they do is incredibly important and extremely tough. Most MPs work very hard and they don’t always feel safe.
Your MP and the staff in their office probably feel pretty shaken – lots of them spent hours in lock down in Westminster. So some 38 Degrees members have decided to send their MP a message, thanking them for their work and letting them know it’s appreciated. If you’d like to send your MP a nice message letting them know you’re grateful for what they do, please click here:
One of the things 38 Degrees members have in common is that we all want the world to be a better place. We believe it can be a better place. And we know it’s worth working together to make it a better place. When terrible things happen it can be easy to lose sight of what we have in common. Today, we’ve got the opportunity to show that we are not afraid and will keep on working a for a better world.
