Prince William honours ‘incredible’ survivors of 2017 Manchester bombing

Prince William honoured the victims of the 2017 bombing at Manchester Arena on its sixth anniversary of the tragedy during the launch of the Bee the Difference report, per Express UK.

The Prince of Wales, who is a patron of the National Emergencies Trust, said, “The nine young and incredible minds behind this project, and the many more who have contributed, are an inspiration, turning significant personal challenges into positive change.

He continued, “This report makes clear that young people who have experienced the trauma of terrorism have needs unique to their age. These are minds that need the space to have their voices heard and feelings acknowledged.”

The royal urged that “we must listen to their stories now” in order to “learn for the future.”

He added, “I look forward to seeing the change it creates.”

The Bee The Difference report, launched on Monday, May 22nd, 2023, is a research project designed by and for young survivors of the arena attack in collaboration with UK disaster response charity the National Emergencies Trust and researchers at Lancaster University.

Some 22 people were killed, and hundreds injured, when suicide bomber Salman Abedi blew himself up in the foyer of the Manchester Arena at the end of an Ariana Grande concert on May 22nd, 2017.

More than 200 young survivors of the attack contributed to the report, who were all under 18 at the time of the attack.

The reported revealed that 93 per cent of young survivors felt they needed support in the aftermath of the attack, 70 per cent received no professional help within the first month and 31 per cent received no professional help within the first year.