Alison Aitken, chair of the Manchester Survivors’ Choir, details the origins of the choir and its profound impact.
The Manchester Survivors Choir was formed in 2018 in the wake of the Manchester Arena Bombing. It consists of those who are grieving, survivors, and individuals impacted by the sorrowful incident on 22nd May 2017.
The concept of the choir originated from Andrea Bradbury, who retired in March 2017 after a thirty-year tenure as a Detective Inspector in the police counter-terrorism unit. Andrea’s daughter and her friend, both avid musical theatre enthusiasts, had secured tickets to the Ariana Grande concert, being fifteen years old at that time.
Andrea, alongside her friend Barbara, was awaiting their daughters in the city room when the explosion occurred. They were the nearest survivors to the bomber, sustaining shrapnel injuries and later undergoing surgeries. Despite Andrea’s background in counter-terrorism, the event was a severe mental and physical ordeal for her and Barbara, a teaching assistant.
Both were afflicted with survivors’ guilt, cognizant that twenty-two lives were lost, including children.
Their daughters, while physically unharmed, bore witness to and endured the harrowing ordeal.
At its peak, the choir had around ninety members who have sung at many events in the UK and in Nice, France. These include televised events, for the Mayor Andy Burnham, The National Emergencies Trust launch and the Westminster Bridge Memorial Service attended by the Prime Minister, in support of those affected by trauma, the public who have helped us and for charitable purposes.
Whilst our members are lower now as our youngsters have happily moved on to university and work, we still continue to meet regularly to support one another, to practice and to perform. Most recently we have sung at the Spinal Injuries Annual Dinner in support of Martin Hibbert who was paralysed in the arena bombing and is now the Vice President of the charity and at the Rock, Bury for Liv’s Trust, one of the bereaved family’s charities.
Choir members also met with him during a United Nations event in Nice. He currently is a senior lead for the Emergency Medical Services and lectures for the US Homeland Security on Counter Terrorism. Also on the trip was Aaron Palmer who was a serving police officer at the time of the Manchester Arena attack and is now a fire fighter who organises an annual charity football match, Manchester Remembers, in aid of the family’s charities.
The choir continues to be a great source of comfort and support for its members and over the years we have become more of a family. Our mission is to continue to spread love (not hate) through our shared interest in music and in support of those suffering trauma following acts of terrorism.