It's one year since the Grenfell fire, which killed 72 people living in a North Kensington tower block. Here's how London is remembering the tragedy one year on.
A memorial garden is opened
A few days ahead of the anniversary, the Bishop of London opened a memorial garden in the grounds of St Clement's Church, Notting Dale, which stands in the shadow of Grenfell Tower.
A mosaic anchor, decorated with different religious symbols, reflects the diversity and togetherness of the neighbourhood.
It was a moment of reflection for survivors, emergency services and others from the community. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, was in attendance too, having made recent criticism of the government's "inhumane" and "chaotic" response to the tragedy.
Grenfell glows green
Grenfell Tower — which remains standing, as investigations continue — was illuminated green on Wednesday night (13 June), while nearby, a vigil and 72-second silence took place.
Grenfell Tower and other buildings across London illuminated in green overnight to mark the first anniversary of the fire which killed 72 people #GreenForGrenfell https://t.co/2etPyRrJC3 pic.twitter.com/V9X7faO1e7
— ITV News (@itvnews) June 14, 2018
Various other buildings switched on the green lights, including Downing Street, the Cabinet Office and City Hall, which will glow green for the next few nights.
People who were on the scene remember
Many brave people attended the horrific scene at Grenfell or helped out nearby — something that will remain lodged in their memories forever. A particularly evocative thread appeared on Twitter from Dr Philip Lee, who describes 14 June 2017 with eye-prickling detail and pathos. At one point he writes: "I remember driving home in silence, the smell still on me, I wanted to cry, for the survivors, for those who died in that most terrible way, but there were no tears. Just a deep, silent sadness."
Trigger warning: (#Grenfell)
— Philip Lee (@drphiliplee1) June 13, 2018
"Wake up, your phone keeps buzzing."
14th of June, 2017. 3:39 AM
I sat up, I was not on call, I looked at my phone. Two missed calls and a text from NHS-NoReply
I dialed the given number and punched in the code, rubbing my eyes.
A tube driver stops his train
Live TV captured the emotional moment when a tube driver halted his train on a bridge at Latimer Road station (close to where the Grenfell fire happened), stepped out of the carriage, and held a makeshift green banner aloft — a marvellous symbol of solidarity.
Are you marking Grenfell today? Or want to share other ways in which people are remembering it? Feel free to add to the comments below.
