The Glade of Light is a heartfelt and touching reminder of those we lost on May 22nd, 2017 at Manchester Arena. This is a sacred place of reflection and memorial - a space to remember the 22 lives that were taken that day, and the everlasting effect it has had on those impacted.

This is why the ongoing disrespect of the site, from the public and the council alike, is endlessly distressing to those affected. From people using the marble plaques as a shortcut, to the council's ignorance to the dirt and disrepair, a quick cleaning and pruning once a year is simply not good enough. Something needs to be done. Now.

1. Dirt  - We need to stop the disrespect of people walking across the memorial, carelessly standing on the victims' names and leaving muddy footprints. This can easily be fixed by enclosing the Glade of Light halo with a fence, or a natural hedge to support the surrounding wildlife habitat. This barrier would avoid people using the plaques as a climbing frame or quick shortcut, and also provide extra privacy for those mourning and remembering at the site. The Glade is also susceptible to natural dirt, through dripping trees, falling leaves, animal markings and general wear; this is absolutely fine, and expected considering the natural surroundings. What isn't fine is leaving it to build up, forcing families of the victims to take action and clean the plaques themselves. We shouldn't have to read these innocent people's names through layers of grime and dirt - a simple but regular power-wash cleaning is in order, and must be actioned to prevent further dirt build up.
   
   
2. Drainage and Gardening - The council have stated the site "was designed to be a living memorial, a tranquil garden space". However, the garden at the Glade is not looked after, with most plants looking worse for wear as they receive no upkeep at all, and rubbish thrown all over the ground and greenery. Additionally, there has been no consideration for drainage - and with how wet the rainy city of Manchester is, this means the site is often flooded with dirty water, making it impossible to access (especially for those with disabilities) and causes the paving to lift. This needs to be addressed with proper drainage installation, before the water damage takes over and causes irreversible damage. The garden also needs ongoing love and care, to ensure a beautiful, trash free, green space throughout the year; exactly what the council promised, and what the victims deserve.

We are calling for the Manchester City council to action these changes with urgency, to ensure peaceful and problem free commemoration in the future.

We are also calling for Mayor Andy Burnham and Deputy Kate Green to act now, to support the cause and push for these changes to be made. Andy Burnham was Mayor at the time of the attack, so will have seen first hand the impact it had on Manchester and the ripple effect it had on everybody in the city. It is imperative that he uses his understanding of the devastation the attack caused to truly support those affected and honour the memory of the victims in a respectful way.

Please show your support by signing this petition, and showing those in charge that we will not be complacent. We will not stand by to watch them forget what happened that awful day. Our loved ones will NOT be forgotten and left in the dirt.