15th Jun 2016
All Mancunians know where they were when the bomb went off.
On the 15th June 1996 the IRA planted a bomb in the heart of the city centre on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The police had been called over an hour in advance and had evacuated central Manchester. Astonishingly there were no fatalities but over 200 people were injured and some continue to suffer from post traumatic stress today.
While the political events and suffering can not be ignored, Manchester's regeneration and rebirth following this event has been significant.
Close to the blast site a pillar box carries a small brass plaque with a message which reads:
This post box remained standing almost undamaged on June 15th 1996 when this area was devastated by a bomb. The box was removed during the rebuilding of the city centre and was returned to its original site November 22nd 1999.
20 years on, I have made a poster to commemorate this day, a day when Mancunians stood tall and reached out to look after each other. A day where the city united.
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