Whittington remembers 7/7

On Thursday 14 July over a hundred people, including one of the victims (pictured above third from left) who happened to be at the hospital because he had come to get his stitches taken out, gathered outside the main entrance of the hospital at for the two-minute silence to commemorate the outrages of the previous Thursday in London.

The Union Jack was flown at half-mast and one of the chaplains who was joined by representatives of the hospital Muslim community invited people to pause to remember the victims, their relatives and friends, the staff of all the hospitals involved including our own, and members of the emergency services whose commitment and bravery was matched by their ongoing hard work in the aftermath.

Speaking of the importance of the event, David Curtis, Co head of Department of Spiritual and Pastoral Care, spoke of the message he had received from the staff Muslim community after Friday Prayers on 8 July. All Muslims at prayers had united to condemn as un-Islamic, the bombers and all those who advocate or use violence in the name of religion. David also spoke of the need for Christians, Muslims and all of every faith group to build bridges of understanding and to stand together against such attacks. “This was an opportunity for London to come together to show sympathy for the victims, defiance to the terrorists, thanks to the emergency services and to unite as a city proud of its diversity.”