Western Morning News (Saturday)
It’s the West at its best
Cornwall Hugs, the charity set up in the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, has this month welcomed its 350th guest for a restorative holiday west of the Tamar. The charity, which aims to help families caught up in the disaster of June 2018 to rest, grieve and make new “post-fire” memories, hosted another 27 people suffering trauma and loss. Families stayed all over Cornwall in holiday accommodation pledged by private owners, from Bude to Carbis Bay, Polperro to Flushing and also the Isles of Scilly. The Grenfell Tower blaze, Britain’s worst post-war fire, claimed 72 lives. Having witnessed the fire, many residents, including children, along with emergeny service personnel, are suffering from
PTSD and a loss of confidence. Luciana, the mother of two boys who were evacuated on the night of the fire, spent eight months in basic hotel rooms and are still in temporary accommodation. Speaking by phone from London about the holiday in Polperro, provided by Cornwall Hugs, she said: “Just today my son was on the bus here and he said to me, ‘I’m going crabbing now!’ Every night he plays at catching crabs in the bath. You know, Cornwall never leaves their minds now. I have no words to describe how wonderful it was and how kind everyone is. Even the psychologist said to me, ‘I’m so happy for your family, you have come back looking so well and you all look like you had such a good time’.” Tina, another displaced neighbour, visited the Isles of Scilly with her two sons. She said: “After what happened, my son didn’t want to trust anyone any more. He lost his little friends and then his dad. But this holiday, with everyone’s kindness, has made a difference – to see him smiling and trusting the world again is amazing.”
Esmé Page, from Truro, who set up Cornwall Hugs in the days after the tragedy, said: “The inquiry is at a very intense phase right now and support workers tell us people desperately need a break. Giving evidence or listening to friends’ testimonies is harrowing. The questions are detailed, right down to the colour of the smoke, the smells, who they saw, where. It re-triggers many sensory elements of the trauma for them, so a time by the sea can be particularly healing. Many have come to see Cornwall as a safe place – a sanctuary. Their memories of beautiful places and the kindness of strangers are literally a ‘safe place’ to go to in their minds, when it’s all getting too much. I think Cornwall can be very proud of all it has offered this community.” Jess Vian, who offered her accommodation on St Mary’s, spoke of why she’d joined the vision, saying: “I think it’s just wonderful to be part of this effort to open up the islands to people who need it. There’s calm and security to be found here and it’s great we can share it.” Travel to the islands was provided, free of charge, by the Isles of Scilly Travel Company. Howard Taylor, co-ordinateor for Grenfell United (the closed group of survivors) who is also community manager for The Grenfell Foundation, added: “As different people are coming to terms with the incident at different times, it is essential these trips continue in the future. The Cornwall Hugs Grenfell team are in regular contact with bereaved and survivors and have become a trusted provider of respite trips to the community.” Businesses and accommodation providers who would like to join the vision are invited to visit cornwallhuggrenfell.org C ornwall was the scene for more fundraising efforts this week, with news that the four-man crew of Andy Grant, Jon Davies, Andrew “Bez” Berry and Alex Fawcet have left their training base at Mylor Yacht Harbour for the Canary Islands where the Atlantic Seamen’s Talisker Whisky Challenge will begin. The vessel will carry the Cornish friends on an epic 3000-mile charity row in aid of the Urology Foundation and the Children’s Hospice Southwest. During the months of intensive training and fundraising, the team has seen changes in personnel, with two members of the original line-up unavoidably pulling out and two new members stepping into the breach. Expert mariners Andy Grant and Alex Fawcett are now combining their considerable forces with Andrew “Bez” Berry and Dr Jon Davies on a final fundraising and fitness push before they re-join their 30-foot boat on the island of La Gomera and set off to row 24 hours a day for more than a month across the ocean to Antigua. Throughout their many months of training the Atlantic Seamen – all in their 40s – have become a familiar sight, rain or shine, on the marina and in the waters off Mylor Yacht Harbour, which has provided
them with berthing and harbour facilities.
During this time they have received
support from their families, friends,
sponsors and the general public who have
helped them raise more than £60,000 so far.
“In our final few weeks before we leave
Cornwall we would dearly love – with
people’s help – to hit the £100,000 mark for
our charities,” said Bez. “And there is still
a little bit of room on the hull of the boat
for any sponsors – companies or
individuals – who’d like to step in and
back us.” For details visit
atlanticseamen.com or their Facebook
I t’s not often you see granite pillars wrapped in knitting but that’s what happened when the Royal Cornwall Museum in Truro was “yarn-bombed” in recent weeks. But rather than discard the woollen creations, the 150 feet of material has this week been turned into 35 scarves for the homeless. The idea to dress the pillars in colourful knitting came about as part of the museum’s free Fun Palace event which aimed to provide an opportunity for the community to learn different skills from each other. One of the activities on offer was learning to knit, and community engagement officer Celine Elliott asked a group called The Material Girls, who meet once a week in Truro Library, if they could help. “They were absolutely amazing and produced about fifteen feet of knitting each over five weeks – as well as running workshops on the day,” said Celine. “Covering the two front pillars was a way of drawing attention to the museum and what was going on inside and proved so successful that we left the knitting up for a week. We didn’t want it going to waste when it was taken down so the ladies separated it into scarves which Johnson’s Dry Cleaners in River Street kindly agreed to clean free of charge.
We’re delighted that everyone’s combined efforts are now helping to keep local homeless people warm this winter.” The scarves were presented to St Petroc’s representative Lois Wild, who said: “We’re bowled over by everyone’s generosity. These gifts will make a real difference to our clients and, on their behalf, I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone involved.”
Quote of the Week: I go back to my constituency and I’ve never seen human suffering like this in all my years as an MP or in the forty years I’ve lived in this constituency. So to be frank, with the regard to the Conservative Party as it now stands, and for all they’ve done to our community, the suffering that they’ve caused, I can’t forgive them, I can’t forgive them for what they’ve done.
Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell, speaking on BBC Newsnight