Supporting staff affected by the London Bridge attack on 29 November 2019

Given the location of last Friday’s events, City workers may be affected by the London Bridge attack, even if they were not direct victims or eyewitnesses.

An incident of this nature can affect people in many different ways. Employers in the City of London are encouraged to engage with their employees, sharing supportive messaging and signposting them to services that can assist them during this time.

Free and confidential support and services are available, which include:

• Samaritans’ Freephone (24/7): 116 123
• Shout (24/7 text service): text “85258”
• Good Thinking: a digital platform designed to support the wellbeing of Londoners, which offers safe, proactive and early intervention tools to help with anxiety, depression, stress and sleep
• Dragon Café (Borough, every Monday, 12pm to 8.30pm) and Dragon Café in the City (Shoe Lane Library, fortnightly on Wednesdays (including 11 December), 12pm to 7.30pm) both offer a free and open space for people to release the pressure and take part in creative activities designed to support mental and physical wellbeing

These services, as well as others, are listed on the “Mental Health” page of the City of London Corporation’s website: www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/releasethepressure

There are also drop-in sessions taking place at the West Wing, Guildhall, facilitated by the Red Cross, Victim Support and Crisis Support volunteers. These are available to anyone who feels affected by the attack and who wishes to seek advice or support.  These will be taking place:

• Tuesday 3 December, 1.30 – 3pm and 5pm to 7pm
• Thursday 5 December, 4pm to 7pm
• Friday 6 December, 1pm to 3pm and 5pm to 7pm

You may also like to include information about internal support services available to employees, such as an Employee Assistance Programme or Mental Health First Aiders, if they are provided by your organisation. Please do consider your contractors and other staff working on your site when sharing this information, as they may also require support.

For those directly affected by the attack, please signpost them to the Home Office’s “Support for victims of terrorism” website. This information is also available in a shareable leaflet, which can be accessed here.