“Two years ago, the city of Nottingham was rocked by a devastating act of violence.
The lives of three innocent people – Grace O’Malley Kumar, Barnaby Webber, and Ian Coates – were tragically taken. Wayne and Sharon were left with physical and psychological injuries that they will carry forever.
The 2023 attacks shattered lives and left many in Nottingham feeling unsafe and distrustful of the very institutions meant to protect them. Valdo Calocane had multiple interactions with local police and mental health services. His mental health condition and history of violence were well-documented.
We fully support the bereaved families and their efforts to seek transparency and accountability. We also support the recent calls for urgent improvements in local NHS mental health services and clear answers and accountability from those in authority.
We must ensure the Inquiry is fully supported and meaningfully engages with the people of Nottingham. That’s why we are asking the local elected leadership to work with us – to listen to our concerns and engage meaningfully with the forthcoming Inquiry. This must be a turning point.
The local MPs and the Mayor have agreed to our request for a meeting, and a date for this is being arranged. A collective, united effort is needed to bring about real change – to improve the effectiveness of local public services and prevent future tragedies. Survivors must not be forgotten. Decisions about how our city responds to this tragedy must be communicated transparently and directly to those affected here in Nottingham. The Government must remember the survivors.
With the public statutory Inquiry now underway, local engagement before, during, and after the hearings is essential. We urge people to go to the Inquiry website for more information. We have every faith this Inquiry will be robust and uncover the answers the survivors and the people of Nottingham urgently need and deserve.
On this two-year anniversary, we remember those we lost and look to the future with hope – hope that lessons will be learned and meaningful change and action will follow.
We are grateful to the bereaved families for inviting us to the memorial walk they have so thoughtfully arranged.”
Wayne, Sharon and Greg attended the Memorial Walk on Friday 13th June, walking to the locations where the attacks took place. Attendees were encouraged to bring flowers and dress in red (for Nottingham Forest, Ian Coates’ team), and green and yellow (for Nottingham University Sports).
Read more about the Nottingham Attacks here.
