Today marks four years since the Manchester Arena attack and the city will never forget

Today, Saturday May 22nd 2021, marks four years since the Manchester Arena attack at an Ariana Grande concert. 

In 2017, the pop star had just finished playing to a crowd of adoring and mostly young fans, when a terrorist detonated a homemade explosive device in the waiting area of the arena. The bomb tragically took the lives of 22 innocent people. 

This year Manchester will be paying tribute a bit differently, as while pandemic-related restrictions do remain in place there will be some limited scope for gathering.

This year the anniversary will be marked with acts of remembrance at a morning (9am) and evening (4.30pm) prayer service at Manchester Cathedral.

During the services the names of those who lost their lives will be read out, with the services livestreamed on the Manchester Cathedral Facebook page.

The cathedral will be open from 9.30am to 4.30pm during the day for private prayer and lighting candles, as people look to pay tribute to those affected by the events of that day.

However, leaving floral or other tributes outside the cathedral and around the city centre is being politely discouraged this year.

The cathedral bells, as well as the bells of those at  St Ann’s Church, will be tolled at 10.31pm on the day to mark the exact anniversary of the attack.

The virtual ceremonies mark a poignant moment for our city. We stood solid in the immediate aftermath, covered the city in The 22 Bee Project, created the Tree of Hope Trail, stood silent in the Great Manchester Run, projected song lyrics on pavements, hosted the One Love concert as an act of solidarity, and showed the world that ‘This Is The Place’.  

Today, most importantly, Manchester remembers the 22 victims of the Manchester Arena attack: Georgina Callander, Saffie Rose Roussos, John Atkinson, Megan Hurley, Olivia Campbell-Hardy, Alison Howe, Lisa Lees, Angelika Klis, Marcin Klis, Martyn Hett, Kelly Brewster, Jane Tweddle, Nell Jones, Michelle Kiss, Sorrell Leczkowski, Liam Curry, Chloe Rutherford, Elaine McIver, Wendy Fawell, Eilidh MacLeod, Courtney Boyle and Philip Tron. 

The youngest of the victims was 8-year old Saffie Rose Roussos, whose mum and sister were also taken to hospital on the night of the attack. Her funeral was the last of the victims, and hundreds of mourners attended to celebrate the life of a ‘little girl with a beautiful smile’. 

Nell Jones, 14, has been remembered for her kindness. Shortly after the tragic event her fellow students designed a community space in her name. It was filled with pebbles, each painted with a heartfelt and touching tribute to Nell.

Martyn Hett, a PR manager and social media star, was also tragically killed in the attack. He was widely recognised for his quirky humour and infectious sense of joy. 

Kelly Brewster, 32, was tragically killed as she threw herself in front of the bomb to shield her sister, Claire Booth, and her daughter Hollie. They survived the injuries but Kelly lost her life in a selfless act of compassion. 

Sorrell Leczkowski, 14, from Leeds dreamt of being an architect to ‘build her mum a house’, but her dreams were robbed as she tragically lost her life in the incident. Her mother and grandmother survived the explosion and remember their ‘clever, talented, creative girl’. 

A Police Officer of 19 years, Elaine, 43, lost her life while waiting in the foyer with her partner, Paul. Paul left the explosion with serious injuries while Elaine tragically died. She is remembered for her ‘kindness, love’ and ‘huge heart’. 

Many other parents and family were waiting to pick up their children after the concert, including Alison, Lisa, Angelika, Marcin, Jane, Michelle, Courtney and Philip. 

While the memorials this year will remain low-key, from next year the main focus point for commemorations will be the new Glade of Light memorial, with work on this expected to be finished by December, ready for next year’s fifth anniversary.

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Manchester will never forget the terrible events of 22 May, 2017 nor the moving way the city came together to express solidarity with all those affected by the attack and a determination not to give in to hatred.

“This year will pay our respects once more, albeit in a necessarily low key fashion, and our thoughts remain especially with the families of those who lost loved ones in the attack.”

Joanne Roney OBE, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, added: “Four years may have passed, but we know that for many the pain of what happened on 22 May 2017 has not diminished.

“We will always remember those who were killed, as well as those left with physical and mental injuries.

“Of course, anniversaries have a particular resonance but we don’t just remember them one day every year and it is heartening that good progress is being made on the city’s permanent memorial.”

Our thoughts are with those who tragically lost their lives in the attack, and others who were affected by the events of that day.

Manchester will never forget.