‘No politician has ever met us’
Travis Frain, 21, a student at Edge Hill University in Ormskirk, was hit by a car driven by Khalid Masood, which ploughed into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge. He fractured his left leg and tore a ligament, broke his left hand and all his fingers and suffered severe bruising and whiplash.
“The Government has not really done anything at all for victims. Any support has come from organisations such as the Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Peace Foundation. But those organisations are struggling – they have not received a penny more from government, despite helping so many victims – and that’s indicative of the issue not being taken seriously.
“To this day, no politician from any party has ever met us. This was an attack on home soil, on a bridge right outside Parliament, for Christ’s sake – they couldn’t walk across that bridge and visit the victims in hospital?
“The Prince of Wales came on to the ward and told the media to wait outside. It wasn’t a publicity exercise for him. When there was a memorial service at Westminster Abbey, William, Kate and Harry were the only ones who stayed for the reception afterwards – all the politicians disappeared.
“There has been no commemorations on the date marking the anniversary of the attack. All they did was project the word #londonunited on to a wall and tell people where to place flowers on the day. Some of the Manchester victims joke that they’ve got Andy Burnham on speed dial, but the Mayor of London has never met with any of us. “Politicians tell us: you’ll never be forgotten, but for the other 364 days a year, that’s what happens. They say lessons will be learnt, but I’ve spoken to victims of the Brighton hotel bombing by the IRA who experienced the same problems. What sort of message does it send to the people who carry out these terror attacks if we don’t support the victims? A lot of us have had to put up with abuse on social media. People who claim the attack was fake. “I was sent home and had to wait 11 weeks for counselling. I got a half-hour phone appointment. Then I was offered group therapy with alcoholics and drug addicts. I had to get help from friends and family to pay for physiotherapy sessions, which was pretty degrading. I applied [for compensation] a month after the attack, [but still] have not received a penny.”