Olympic Games help for those hurt by violent crime

How do you move on after a loved one, a friend, a relative, has been killed - stabbed to death or shot? Or perhaps badly maimed or disabled for life? I'm not sure if the video here will help - but it made me think it is similar for many who have been affected by violence.

Life seems to be going ok, you're gearing up for some good things ahead. Then - out of the blue - you suffer a most devastating loss, someone kills a loved one.

Filled with immense pain and confusion, you crumple to the floor... can't go on. You lie there, bewildered, suffering, struggling to come to terms with such loss, deep grief, sorrow impossible to put into words.

And then, after much time has passed, you start to think about getting up.

Derek Redmond, British athlete - badly injured but not out

In this video, a ordinary man, trained as an athlete, goes through all this in the spotlight of the Olympic Games. He breaks down in front of tens of thousands, gets up, sobs with pain, intense pain... he could be you struggling with grief, confusion, loss, hurt. Someone comes to help him (his father) and he carries on - but still in pain.

Life seemed ok up to that point. Watch the video if you think it might help; it's timely because it's connected to the Olympics - but it could be you, your family or friends trying to deal with loss.

Maybe it will help you carry on when life deals a hard blow, so painful you fall to the ground in tears and pain. I hope it can reach you, can help you, can comfort you...

Trek For Ben Kinsella gala night raised £35k-plus

One of the event's organisers, actress Brooke Kinsella, has announced that the Trek For Ben Gala at Gilgamesh  at the end of June raised more than £35,000 for The Ben Kinsella Trust.


"Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who came and supported. That money will allow us to do so much good work in Ben's name so thank you, thank you, thank you xxx," said Brooke.


It was June 29 2008 when Kinsella's 16-year-old brother, Ben, was killed by a gang of three youths in London. He had been out celebrating the end of GCSE exams with friends in Shillibeers Brasserie Bar, North Road, when trouble broke out and later spilled on to a nearby street. See Wikipedia piece on Ben Kinsella for more information.


The Ben Kinsella Trust is organising a range of fund-raising events to help fund anti-knife crime initiatives. For details, visit the Ben Kinsella Trust web pages and Facebook accounts.