Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
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In the shadow of Grenfell Tower, Nick Knowles and his DIY SOS team went about their most challenging and emotional construction yet. The blackened building, now wrapped in a plastic shroud, was permanently in sight of the construction team, a tragic monument to the 72 lives lost there in June last year.
Nick says: “We could see the tower all the time, it was only about 400 metres away. It is a constant reminder of massive hurt for the people that live there.
“I can’t think of another disaster in recent history in this country where there is such a constant and physical reminder.
“But it was important we built something in the area and fulfilled our promise to the community.”
In last week’s DIY SOS on BBC One, the team created a state-of-the-art boxing gym for the young people who lost theirs in the fire.
In tonight’s episode, they will complete a project that’s bigger than anything they’ve done before – a community centre where the people of Grenfell can go to socialise, cook, learn new skills and, crucially, have a quiet space for counselling sessions.
Nick, 55, says: “It was our biggestever build. We did an entire street of houses in Manchester and that took 15 days. This one took 96 days. It will stay with me for the rest of my life.”
The centre will be run by the community for the community.
Nick adds passionately: “If anyone ever tries to take this away from them, I will cause the most unholy stink. “We have reassured them that this centre will always be theirs. The council aren’t going to touch it.”
It was a highly emotional time for all concerned, especially when the team met Nabil Choucair, who lost six family members in the blaze: his mum Sirria, sister Nadia and her husband Bassem and their children Mierna, 13, Fatima, 11, and Zainab, three.
Fighting back tears, Nabil recalls frantically searching hospitals all over London for his missing relatives. “The days after, we were looking round from hospital to hospital. We thought they could just be unconscious,” he says.
“We were always phoning and trying to find out, it was very exhausting and very hard. Not knowing where they are or had they made it to hospital or if they were still in the tower. The chances were getting slimmer and slimmer but we still had to live in that little hope that we had. It was one by one. That’s when we knew.”
Heartbreakingly, he says his own children call out for their little cousin Zainab. “But I have to tell them she’s gone to heaven,” says Nabil.
“The time we spent together, I am grateful for that. It’s something that we will share, cherish. That memory that will never be forgotten.”
Nabil is seen on tonight’s show being comforted by Prince William, who tells him: “I can only imagine what you and your family have had to go through. The shock is still enormous.
“I hope what’s happening here is that it’s a sign a lot of people care about you and your community and want to help and this will be a lasting legacy of that support.” Then, taking Nabil’s hand, he says: “I know those are just words to you, but I want you to know that there are a lot of people who care about what’s happened in this community and want it to get better.
“I really hope it brings you some sense of solace. Stay strong.” Only Nick saw what happened next.
He says: “After meeting Prince William, I saw Nabil sitting outside. He looked at me and said, ‘He really cares, doesn’t he? I really believe he does’.
“And it is apparent to those families who have seen so much that Prince William is engaged in helping, and he promised he’d be back again at some stage.
“I truly believe he will be. It was a really big, emotional moment on the site. It was heartbreaking to sit and talk to Nabil about losing members of his family. You just can’t even imagine.”
Nick was with his DIY SOS team when the news broke of the fire at the tower, in North Kensington, West London. He says: “Someone put the TV on and we couldn’t believe what was happening. Six days later I was there on the ground, talking to people.
“Even in the days immediately after th yo
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