Young survivors of the 2017 Manchester Arena terror attack have partnered with Southport educators to share trauma recovery strategies for schoolchildren affected by the July 2024 Southport knife attacks.
The collaborative mentoring initiative is part of the Bee the Difference project, led by Lancaster University researcher Dr. Cath Hill alongside the National Emergencies Trust charity.
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The Manchester terror attack claimed 22 lives and injured more than 1,000 people at an Ariana Grande concert, while the Southport mass stabbing resulted in the deaths of three young girls at a dance workshop.
To assist Southport schools, the project introduced a trauma passport system that tracks affected pupils throughout their education so they do not have to repeatedly explain their history to new staff.
Peer Mentoring Provides Critical Resources
Dr. Hill, who survived the 2017 bombing and founded the Manchester Survivors Choir, reported that the peer mentoring program provided critical resources for school staff handling affected children.
She explained that the young mentors provided practical guidance on managing classroom environments, emphasizing the importance of specialized support during sensitive milestones.
Dr. Hill noted that bringing the local teaching community together served as an effective baseline for organizing trauma responses within the smaller geographical region.
"Although Southport compared to Manchester is a much smaller geographical area, they weren't helping and supporting each other as much as you think might happen," said Dr. Hill.
The research, which surveyed over 200 young arena survivors, highlighted specific school interventions that either succeeded or failed during their own recovery periods.
She emphasized that documenting the negative experiences of previous survivors remains vital for improving future educational support frameworks.
According to Dr. Hill, the sessions prepared educators for long-term emotional challenges while offering reassurance that healing is achievable over time.
She acknowledged that maintaining optimism can be exceptionally difficult for affected communities during the immediate aftermath of a tragedy.
Dr. Hill added that while time cannot erase psychological trauma, it remains a crucial component of the healing process.
"Time does help," said Dr. Hill.
The tracking system implemented by Southport schools directly addresses the specific feedback collected from the Manchester arena research cohort.
Dr. Hill commended the bravery of the young mentors who utilized their personal recovery journeys to protect future student populations from repeated distress.
"One of the things the incredible teachers - one in particular - in Southport has put in place is those young people can now be tracked if they want to through their school career [so] they don't have to keep retelling their story, which has the potential to retraumatise them," said Dr. Hill.
She concluded that recognizing and validating these lived experiences ensures that appropriate care is delivered at critical times, such as tragedy anniversaries.
Survivor Mentor Shares Personal Experience
Yasmine Lee, a newly qualified teacher who survived the Manchester bombing at age 12, served as a mentor to share the non-linear realities of trauma recovery.
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"It made my adjustment back to school easier but hearing that other people had awful experiences because they [lived] far away or their school didn't have the resources is horrific," said Lee.
Lee stated that her motivation for participating was to ensure her personal history could serve as a protective resource for future victims of mass violence.
She described the emotional aftermath of surviving a terror attack as a highly volatile and unpredictable experience for a developing child.
"I think it can be so unpredictable the way you are and how you feel," said Lee.
Lee stressed that healing involves constant emotional fluctuations rather than a simple, permanent recovery after a single difficult period.
"It is like a roller coaster. It isn't like you have a bad week and then you are fine forever.
It's up and down," said Lee.
She added that the school passport system eliminates the need for difficult initial boundary conversations that frequently trigger intense emotional distress for students.
"Having that passport to take through with you means you have not had to have that conversation because having those conversations initially can be really tricky and bring up a lot of emotions," said Lee.
The Southport knife attacks resulted in the murders of nine-year-old Alice Da Silva Aguiar, seven-year-old Elsie Dot Stancombe, and six-year-old Bebe King.
Concurrently, the city of Manchester scheduled two separate minute-long silences at Victoria Station on May 22, 2026, to mark the ninth anniversary of the arena bombing.
The remembrance services are set for noon and 10:31 p. m.
, matching the exact minute the suicide bomb was detonated by Salman Abedi.
The Glade of Light memorial near Manchester Cathedral will serve as the primary site for the public and city officials to lay floral tributes.
Council Leader Bev Craig emphasized that the passage of time would not be allowed to diminish the memories of the victims.
"Time passes but we will not allow their memories to fade," said Craig.
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The anniversary events conclude with formal wreaths laid at the stone halo memorial by Manchester Lord Mayor Shaukat Ali and Council Chief Executive Tom Stannard.
