Thank you all for your warm words and best wishes yesterday and today. I have read all your messages on here and on other platforms. Ella’s siblings and I yesterday made the decision when her case is over we will read all the hundreds of cards you kindly sent us when she first passed away, we were not able to at the time and her siblings were very young then. Thank you to the young people who invited me to come and share Ella’s story at Parliament Square yesterday more on that shortly. This half term week we are relaxing so I will endeavour to respond to all your messages in person as I always do. Friday was an emotional day for us, not only was it the 6th anniversary of Ella’s passing but her legal team who have worked tirelessly applied to the High Court to have the original inquest quashed. Thank you again for donating to the Crowd Justice fund so we were able to take that action. I will update you once the High Vourt set a date. This is likely to take a number of months so please be patient. In the meantime with your support I will continue to raise awareness about the impact of air pollution on the general public’s health. I have learnt a lot over the last 5 years just how much Air Pollution affects us all especially the vulnerable who are children, the elderly population and people with respiratory illnesses. Research has shown air pollution disapportionately has a far greater negative health impact on people from deprived backgrounds, there are multitude of reasons for this which I will be addressing with the 32 local councils in London over the next few months in my various roles as a concerned Mum first and foremost, a parent advisor (asthma) to Healthy London partnership and Parent (Chair) at Children’s and Young People’s Health Patnership. I have learned a lot since Ella’s death and continue to share what I have learnt when I have a platform at every opportunity. Professional Holgate and I recognise that awareness is key when trying to reduce the impact of air pollution on our health. I continue to learn about Asthma as at times it remains a mystery to me but as long as one knows one’s triggers then there is hope that one can control one’s asthma. Ella’s devastating death has opened up opportunities to speak to the public and I will use them for good in her memory as I am still unable to teach at present. For example, I will be speaking at the United Nations next month at the Human Rights Convention. Also after speaking to so many inspiring mothers on Friday at Parliament Square about ideas of setting up our own group to support our children. I will be send out information when it is ready and I will like our group to be Mothers from all walks of life to join in. I know some of you have been writing to me for months about this and how best you can support me so please watch this space and all my social media platforms in the future. So we will be busy whilst we wait for the High Court to call Ella’s case and especially as there will be a new Environmental Bill going through Parliament shortly. But my hope is this will be a lasting legacy for all children who have passed away known and unknown due to air pollution. The World Health Organisation states that “600,000 children around the world die every year due to the impact of Air Pollution” and now in the U.K. we have a face. I will end by saying thank you again please remember Ella in church later. Ella had a strong faith and believed she was going to a better place. In our service we will sing one of Ella’s favourite hymns “make me a channel of your peace”and at home we will sing another of her favourites “I vow to thee my country” and I promise you there will not be a dry eye in our house as we believe she paid the ultimate price. But tomorrow will be a new day and somehow life goes on.
RIP Ella Roberta 15:02:2013 - mummy xx