From: Grenfell Volunteers Support & Information Network

SOS Silence of Suicide, run by Michael Mansfield QC and his partner Yvette Greenway, alongside umbrella group Justice4Grenfell Campaign & the Grenfell Volunteers Support and Information network are reaching out to the community and all those affected by the recent fire tragedy, asking them to come together as a group in a safe space as one voice, to discuss their emotions, feelings & mental wellbeing.

This SOS initiative, ‘A Safe Space To Talk’ has been endorsed by Duncan Bew, Consultant Trauma & Acute Care Surgeon, & Clinical Director of the Trauma Unit at NHS King’s College Hospital London, which treated some of the Grenfell survivors.

There will be plenty of trained professionals and volunteers on site for anyone who feels they need one to one conversations either during or after the meeting.

This meeting is for those who are experiencing sadness, grief, trauma, isolation and loss. It is to support and listen to those affected and their needs in a safe & confidential space.

Please assist those you are supporting and others you may know of to attend. Many residents & volunteers affected by Grenfell have asked for this support.

Date: Saturday 15th July 2017.
Time: 3pm til 6pm
Venue: The Harrow Club, 187 Freston Road, W10 6YH.
Tube Station: Latimer Road
Refreshments provided

J4G shares the concerns of survivors, bereaved families and the wider community regarding the latest statement from the Met Police giving numbers of fatalities, survivors and “missing” as a result of the Grenfell fire. The number of fatalities & missing are generally felt to be too low and not consistent with previously announced figures. Conversely, the number of survivors is considered by many to be too high.

“That night, 14 residents were not in the building, leaving at least 80 people dead or missing, the Met said.”

These figures do not tally with the 87 fatalities already announced by the authorities, figures that were already felt to be too low by many in the community.

The Police estimate of 350 people living in the Tower presents an average of less than 3 people living in each apartment. Survivors and residents from the local area do not accept this estimate, believing it to be way too low. It also fails to take account of the fact that it was Ramadan and therefore there would be many visitors in the Tower, breaking their fast with family and friends.

The Police estimate of 55 people missing is also being challenged by the community, who believe it to be an underestimate and not consistent with the facts. The Metro on 15th June reported that:

“Police revealed today that they have received around 400 calls reporting people missing following the Grenfell Tower fire.”

In addition, there were more than 600 calls made from the Tower on the night of the fire just to the emergency services, plus many more calls made by terrified residents to family and loved ones. The volume of calls alone suggests that many more than 350 people were in the Tower on the 14th June.

“…more than 600 emergency calls made that night ..”

The Met Police statement says that ‘there were about 255 survivors” – many in the local community are asking where are all these survivors and who are they?

It is unfortunate in the extreme that a statement issued in an attempt at transparency has only served to deepen the sense of mistrust in the authorities and heightened the widely held belief that a cover-up is underway.

A panelist from the Stephen Lawrence inquiry shares the lessons he learned that might be relevant to the Grenfell inquiry

Read the full article:
Lessons for the Grenfell Tower Inquiry

We have seen this worrying report that the council has been removing documents which relate to the Grenfell refurbishment from its website.
EXCLUSIVE: Citizens allege council deleted Grenfell files from website as fire investigations widen

J4G are calling for the Prime Minister to disband the RBK&C cabinet and to do so promptly.

J4G are backing the Mayor’s office on radical change for the running of the Local Authority in the interim period with appointment of Commissioners through consultation with the community.

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Sadiq Khan has expressed his support for J4G’s demand that the Commissioners he is proposing take over the running of the RBK&C should only be appointed after adequate consultation with the Community.

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Sustained pressure from J4G and affiliated organisations has resulted in RBK&C Council announcing that residents from the Grenfell Tower “finger blocks” evacuated on the night of the fire, will not have to pay rent until January 2018 at the earliest.

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Photo courtesy of Joan Hillary

A poem for the people from the Grenfell Tower disaster by Trevor Hensley

June 2017

The building burned
The people screamed
The water poured
Then quickly steam

A poster said
To stay inside
But those who did
Most surely died

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