St Paul's Cathedral to host Grenfell Tower fire memorial service six months on
St Paul's Cathedral will host a national memorial service for survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire and relatives of those who died on 14 December, marking the six-month anniversary of the disaster.
The request for a service came from bereaved relatives and survivors, and 1,500 free tickets will be distributed via community and faith organisations in north Kensington.
Representatives from a range of faith organisations will be invited, as well as emergency services personnel who attended the fire on the night of 14 June.
Grenfell United, one of the bodies which represents survivors and bereaved families, and other community organisations have been invited to help to plan the event, which will be called the 'Grenfell Tower Memorial Service – Remembrance, Hope and Unity' and broadcast live on BBC1. Families will be given a special email address to which they can send ideas for the service to the chapter, or governing body, of St Paul's.
The chair of Grenfell United, Shahin Sadafi said: 'Our community was devastated on the 14 June 2017. Months on, uncertainty and distress are still what we feel above anything else. Nothing significant has yet changed for the bereaved families and survivors of the fire.
'However, we hope that by gathering together to remember the tragedy we can begin to heal our community with the support of the whole country. United together, we can help light the way for what will undoubtedly be a long road ahead.'
Graham Tomlin, the Bishop of Kensington, said: 'Hosting this service at St Paul's Cathedral, an iconic venue in London, recognises the significance of this tragedy both for the local community and the wider nation. My hope and prayer is that it will help us remember those who lost their lives, bring comfort and strength to the bereaved, and point a way to a better future.'
The service will be aimed at people of all faiths and none.
Up to 80 people died, including at least 18 children, when fire ravaged the 24-storey tower block. The majority of the families made homeless by the fire are still living in temporary accommodation.
