The breaking of lockdown rules by senior politicians and government officials, including the prime minister Boris Johnson, can “add fresh trauma” to sufferers, Covid Aid has said.
Yesterday, senior civil servant Sue Gray published her 37-page report, which investigated the alleged gatherings on government premises while Covid-19 restrictions were in place.
Covid Aid registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator OSCR last April. Its purpose is to support people affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Michael MacLennan, the founder and CEO of Covid Aid, told Civil Society News: “The continued news about the breaking of lockdown rules has been highly distressing for many of those who have lost loved ones to Covid-19, especially those who couldn't spend time with them during their final moments.
“The message then seemed to be that we were all in it together, and it is highly disturbing to see evidence which seems to show that this was not the case – this is something which can reawaken and add fresh trauma to those who have already been through so much.”
Covid Aid
The charity filed its first annual report to the Scottish charity regulator yesterday. Since it was set up last year, 107,000 people have visited its website to access support.
Its total income for the financial year was just over £41,000. Its total expenditure was over £30,000.
Covid Aid said: “With no UK-wide charity specifically dedicated to supporting those affected by the pandemic, there was an urgent and ongoing need to fill this gap.”
It said in its second year, it will continue to help those affected by the pandemic – by helping those suffering from the grief of losing a loved one as well as those affected by long-Covid symptoms.
The Charity Commission’s 2021 annual report said it received 138 charity registration forms from organisations with aims of directly responding to the pandemic. Of these, 77 were registered.
Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK: ‘Millions will never forgive them’
Campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK released a series of statements on Twitter after the release of Sue Gray’s report.
The campaign group said: “There we have it. While the country had one of the highest death rates in the world from Covid-19, they were celebrating over cheese and wine and drinking themselves sick over a karaoke machine.”
“They should know that just as we will never forget being apart from those closest to us whilst they passed away, or having to hold miserable funerals with only a handful of people, millions will never forgive them for the disrespect they've shown.”
Two public inquiries have been launched into the UK’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, by the UK and Scottish government, respectively.
Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice UK is also running an inquiry and being represented by a solicitor.
Related articles
