What It means for Birmingham to be a Compassionate City
Cllr John Cotton, Cabinet Member for Social Inclusion, Community Safety and Equalities looks at what being a Compassionate City means for Birmingham.
This week Birmingham was named as the UK's first accredited Compassionate City - In recognition of the way all parts of our community support one another at some of the most difficult times.
Grief Is one of the most unsettling and overwhelming emotions we all face at some point - and during the pandemic that was something that was felt by many, often unprepared for the untimely passing of loved ones.
The people of Birmingham have a warmth and a compassion that we have seen long before Covid, but we saw that displayed even more over the past two years - as with grief and illness can also come loneliness and isolation.
Being a Compassionate City means bringing partners together across our community -including the NHS, schools, cultural organisations and employers - to provide support, space and understanding those who are experiencing death, grief or caregiving.
Being kind Is a human act. It costs nothing - and often we do not or cannot know what Is going on In other people's lives, we don't know what they may be dealing with. Being a Compassionate City seeks to build compassion as a life value and to put kindness at the heart of health and care strategies across our society.
Gaining this accreditation gives Birmingham the opportunity to bolster Its commitment towards people who are living with a serious Illness, grieving or caring for others.
Our commitment to Compassionate City Charter Is a great way to recognise the kindness and compassion in our communities, and to build on work that's already taken place to ensure all our services, schools, employers and citizens can feel confident in supporting those dealing with grief or living with a serious Illness.
How we die and how we grieve is affected by those around us, which Is why it's vital we understand that everyone can provide help and support at these most difficult times, which come to us all.
This post was published on 15 March 2022
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