Plymouth shooting: Anniversary may be 'as traumatic' as original event

Jeremiah's Journey has been helping to support children and families affected by the Keyham tragedy

A charity helping to support families affected by the Keyham shooting has warned the anniversary could be as traumatic as the original event.

On Friday, the city will mark one year since the tragedy, when five people were killed in Keyham by a gunman.

Jacqui Stedmon, clinical lead psychologist trustee at Jeremiah's Journey, said privacy was important for the community during the anniversary.

She explained how the city could protect those affected.

Ms Stedmon, who is also an associate professor and director of clinical psychology at the University of Plymouth, said: "I think the first challenge is that we normally associate anniversaries with celebration, about remembering happy times, and there is just no way that we can look back and remember August 12th last year with any happiness.

"So it's not about that, it's going to be much more about people coming together to show their respect and I think to protect the people who were so hurt in that tragedy last year."

Jeremiah's Journey is a Plymouth-based charity that provides free support to children, young people and their families who have or are about to experience the death of someone special.

The charity has been working with the community and other agencies across the city to support the families affected by the Keyham shooting.

'A lifelong journey'

Ms Stedmon explained how remembering the events of 12 August last year could be "very traumatic", and could even "reactivate and retrigger" the trauma people experienced last year.

She said: "I think part of the protection is actually remembering and thinking about the community response, without going over what actually happened."

Talking about the role time could play in the grieving process, Ms Stedmon said: "The timescale could be lifelong. I suspect for some people, particularly people who have had children who died, that the grief itself is a lifelong journey.

"It never goes, it's transformed in a way that people can learn to live with it, but it's a lifelong experience of knowing that your life changed dramatically through bereavement."

Ms Stedmon said privacy was "incredibly important" for the community during the "anniversary period".

Ms Stedmon said some people could still be experiencing the initial wave of trauma of the Plymouth mass shooting

"It's only a year since the events of August 12th, and I think people will still be feeling very exposed," she said.

The psychologist added: "I actually suspect that there are people who feel so vulnerable, they haven't yet come forward to seek help or support, so they're still experiencing that initial wave of trauma.

"I think it's really important that is respected, and that in a sense, people's dignity is preserved."

Trained staff, including members of Victim Support and Jeremiah's Journey, will be present at a number of community venues on Friday and Saturday to offer support to anyone who needs it.

These venues will be listed on the Plymouth Together website.

The Plymouth Together website features a range of support and help options for adults, children and families.

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