Aaron's support role leads to his own life change

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Today (Tuesday, May 22) marks one year since the attack on Manchester’s Arena which claimed the lives of 22 people, including two mothers from Royton, and left more than 800 injured.

Events are taking place across Greater Manchester to mark the anniversary, with the rest of the UK joining together at 2.30pm in a minutes silence to remember people like Royton's Alison Howe and Lisa Lees (pictured below), who were just two of the victims of the bombing.

It was shortly after a sold-out concert by American singer Ariana Grande, which was attended by thousands of men, women and children, when the suicide bomber, Salman Abedi, detonated his device in the foyer of the building as people were beginning to make their way home.

Aaron Parmar, now a firefighter at Lees Road station in Oldham, was still in the police force on the night of the awful attack.

He was called to deal with the aftermath, then during the subsequent days and weeks was seconded to support the Newcastle-based family of June Tron.

She lost son Philip in the attack, and Philip's stepdaughter Courtney Boyle, and 12 months on, she has proved inspirational for Aaron.

Aaron told us: "We were heavily involved with supporting June and her family.

"They were kept at a secret location in Oldham for a while so they were within easy reach of the city centre.

"We worked closely with them, in a kind of liaison officer-type role.

"If I'm honest I wasn't fully enjoying my role in the police force at that time, and that event changed everything.

"I was sat with June and her family, discussing my first career choice as a firefighter, and June said 'go for it'.

"That really resonated, and really hit home.

"I thought 'she's right'. I gave it a bash and here I am, a year later, as a fully-fledged firefighter."

The devastating events of that night will forever be in the minds of all of the people of Greater Manchester, with May 22 being a date always marked by remembrance of those lost in the attack.

However, what the blast did show was a community coming together in the face of terrorism.

One of the major stories which followed in the days after the attack was the amount of kindness, good will and sympathy which flowed from the people of the region.

From taxi drivers offering free rides quickly following the attack, to hotels throwing open their doors to give people involved in the disaster a place to stay and feel safe to restaurants shipping in free food for those who were at the concert along with the emergency services - people like Aaron - who rushed to the scene to offer help.

Before the minute's silence at 2.30pm, a memorial service will take place at Manchester Cathedral at 2pm, and a sing-along vigil.

Prime Minister Theresa May and Prince William will join families of victims and emergency workers who went to their aid.

Only those with invitations can attend, but people will be able to watch the service on a big screen in the city's nearby cathedral gardens, and further afield at York Minster, Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral and Glasgow Cathedral.

The Manchester Together With One Voice event then takes place between 7pm and 9pm and will bring together choirs from the city and beyond.

At 22:31 bells across the city centre will ring out to mark the moment of the explosion.

Bells at Manchester Town Hall, St Ann's Church and St Mary's Roman Catholic Church will sound in tribute to the victims.

Ariana Grande has tweeted "thinking of you all" ahead of a day of remembrance.

She posted: "Thinking of you all today and every day. I love you with all of me and am sending you all of the light and warmth I have to offer on this challenging day."

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham will be very visible in the city centre today.

He began the day by Tweeting: "Today we come together, we remember each of the 22 people whose lives were taken and we re-commit to supporting their families and all affected."

Oldham-born radio personality Nick Grimshaw added his thoughts on social media.

He Tweeted: "Remembering the Manchester attack and sending love to their families.

"I think today it’s important to remember the power of the One Love gig and how it brought not just the city, but the world together.

"Such a positive bolt of energy in a hard, dark time."