Cornwall marches through Kensington on the Grenfell Silent Walk

Cornwall Hugs Grenfell took Cornwall’s visible, audible and physical solidarity to Kensington on Friday to join commemorations for the 7th anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people on 14 June 2017.

Founder Esmé Page fielded messages from business owners and individuals and returned with dozens of ‘hugs’ and messages from some of the more than 500 guests who have visited the Duchy with the charity over the past seven years.

The Cornwall Hugs poster carried the slogan ‘Cornwall to Kensington we stand together’ below an image of the special sign on Grenfell Street in Mousehole. The ancient granite street depicted contrasted sharply with the winding tower, also bearing its gigantic green heart, and emphasized the power of solidarity across the 300-mile distance.

A new memorial plaque was added on Grenfell St in Mousehole and members of the Grenfell community helped Esmé add a message with an image of the plaque on the Grenfell Wall of Remembrance just below the tower. It bears the simple message, ‘From Cornwall with love. This new memorial plaque is being erected in Mousehole, Cornwall.

At the Grenfell Memorial Service at All Saints Church, Notting Hill, the Cornwall Hugs video of the charity’s 2018 solidarity song, ‘Grenfell: From Today’, featuring choristers from Truro Cathedral Choir and footage of Grenfell guests from Cornwall, was shown on request Anne-Marie Murphy who visited Cornwall last year.

She said of the song: “I listened to the choristers singing ‘Grenfell: From Today’ over and over. The first time I listened to it I was very overwhelmed with emotion, just absolutely beautiful.’ At the memorial service, Esmé introduced the video saying: “We want you to know that you are not alone and that 300 miles away, there are thousands in Cornwall who still stand with you.”

“It was a day of hugs, tears and so many heartfelt exchanges. Many of the mourners said how much the song touched them. I wish composers Philip Stopford and Andrew Longfield had heard their comments – and all the young choristers, who connected so tenderly to the plight of their fellow Londoners when we recorded it,” said Esmé.

Throughout the day, Esmé met dozens of past guests in Cornwall, from those who came immediately after the fire in 2017 to those who came in October 2023. They fondly remembered their time by the ocean and they emphasized how vital continued solidarity is. of their “sister” community is.

Esmé explains: “Throughout the day, Grenfell families and firefighters came to hug and send messages back to those who welcomed them to Cornwall. Several counselors and support workers have come forward to say how therapeutic the visits have been for their clients.

“But it’s solidarity they need most now. As survivors and mourners wearily enter their eighth year of fighting for basic justice and life-saving change, they all said how much they need others to amplify their voices to prevent further tragedies for others. With thousands of blocks of flats still clad in flammable materials, another Grenfell, they predict, is only a matter of time.

During the afternoon, children from the Grenfell community released white doves at the base of the tower, one for each of the 18 children who died in the tragedy, the youngest being Logan Gomes who was stillborn at 7 months.

Solidarity across Grenfell was strong, with speakers from other campaign groups calling for systematic follow-up of bailout recommendations from public inquiries – there is still no mechanism to ensure this.

Factor 8 Campaign’s Jason Evans, who lost his 4-year-old father to infected blood, spoke powerfully, as did a representative from the Covid19 Bereaved group. Grenfell United, COVID-19 Bereaved and Factor 8 are now calling for the next Prime Minister to bring in a “National Oversight Mechanism” to review and review the work done following inquiries, government-commissioned reviews and public inquiries.

Jason Evans said passionately: “When these inquiries make recommendations, there is NOTHING to make them happen. The long-delayed final report of the Grenfell Fire public inquiry is due to be published later this year.”

Ahead of the annual silent walk, teenagers gave powerful speeches, taking up the baton in the fight for justice and the regulation needed to prevent another Grenfell tragedy. One read a poem, which ends “We weren’t allowed to talk about little girls and boys, but now we’re getting old, we’re making some noise!”.

Across the Duchy, from Truro Cathedral to the Isles of Scilly and even outside the county in Cambridge and Lees, a special prayer specially written by Rev. Hugh Nelson, Bishop of St Germans and Acting Bishop of Truro.

Throughout June 14, local radio stations broadcast commemorative reports and interviews with Cornwall Hugs, highlighting the anniversary of Grenfell in Cornwall, which played such an important role in supporting those affected.