As events unfolded on Monday night and through Tuesday morning, myself and the Manchester’s Finest team, like everyone in the city and around the world, watched with horror, anger and pain as details of the horrific events at Manchester Arena unfolded around us.
Dick Vincent Illustration
Finest exists not as a political or current affairs based publication, our job is to promote the independent businesses, people, arts, culture and spirit that exists within Greater Manchester. This is what we do, and you are why we do it, if that ecology wasn’t here in abundance we would not be making our livings shouting about it. To that end in this brief write up I want to convey the positive response and how quickly people in Manchester ran not to hate but to solidarity.
Artworks went up around the city within hours. Illustrations with messages of hope came in waves and offers to help in whatever form hit social media before day break on Tuesday.
The Greater Manchester emergency services were on-site en masse before news had made it out exactly what had happened, GMP did their jobs quickly and efficiently, they took to social media to reassure and be on hand, they have since adopted a show of force in the city that says “we are here for our people.”
Today our Football teams joined the support with both Manchester City and Manchester United pledging £1m towards a fund to help the victims and their families.
The homeless helped, taxi drivers helped, hotels helped, restaurants and shops helped. The people of Manchester helped and keep helping.
You’ve got the wrong city if you think hate will tear us apart.
— Dave Haslam (@Mr_Dave_Haslam) May 23, 2017
This tweet from Dave Haslam “You’ve got the wrong city if you think hate will tear us apart.” says it perfecty – and I’m glad to report he could not have been more right.
There’s lots to do. There’s confusion in the air and our city is shook but like a snow globe, it’s when you shake it that magical things happen. We are a City United and we at Finest are proud to promote that. We wish you all the best and wherever this takes us we’ll be there.
