SPECIAL RECOGNITION
FIGEN MURRAY
WHEN Figen’s son Martyn Hett, 29, was murdered at the Manchester Arena bombing in 2017, she vowed she would live positively, despite her grief.
Figen, a mum-of-five and former counsellor who lives in south Manchester, is now the force behind Martyn’s Law, which aims to boost antiterrorist security measures and prevent further atrocities.
Martyn’s Law requires venues with a capacity of more than 100 people to improve security against the threat of terrorism, have a clear plan in place and train staff to Government guidelines.
Figen says: “Had Martyn’s Law been in place that night, we now know that precious lives would have been saved.
“Martyn’s Law isn’t going to stop terrorism, but common sense security and making sure venues do all they can to keep people safe, could mean fewer suffer what I and the families of Manchester have had to endure.”
The Government said in December that Martyn’s Law would be introduced, with legislation due this spring.
Now a grandmother, Figen also visits schools, colleges and universities to talk about radicalisation, her own experiences and the power of forgiveness. She has spoken to 22,000 young people across England, encouraging acts of kindness.
She says: “Everyone has a choice in life. I could have chosen to hate, spread anger and negativity and become disillusioned with the world around me. However, I have completely changed my outlook and reason for being.
“Hopefully I will continue to reduce the risk of more adolescents turning to terrorism.”
We now know precious lives could have been saved
FIGEN MURRAY MOTHER OF BOMB VICTIM