Any decision on the future of Grenfell Tower must have bereaved families at the forefront, a survivor of the blaze said as the Government pledged to support the creation of a “fitting and lasting memorial” to honour those who died.
Compassion and understanding will be needed in the process and once decisions are made, Edward Daffarn said, adding that it is likely no-one will get exactly what they would want on the site.
The Grenfell United committee member was speaking ahead of the sixth anniversary of the fire on June 14 2017.
When those decisions are made, we're going to need an enormous amount of pragmatism, an enormous amount of compassion and understanding among ourselves as a community because no individual is going to get exactly what they want on that site— Edward Daffarn, Grenfell United
He told the PA news agency: “Seventy-two people lost their lives inside that building. And I think, you know, the understanding is that the bereaved need to be at the very forefront of any decisions that are made about the future of the tower.
“And I think that, you know, we have to respect that the bereaved families are moving at different paces around their ability to make decisions about the future of the tower, so we need to be patient.
“When those decisions are made, we’re going to need an enormous amount of pragmatism, an enormous amount of compassion and understanding among ourselves as a community because no individual is going to get exactly what they want on that site.”
The tower stands in north Kensington, west London, covered in a protective wrap showing a green heart and the message “Forever in our hearts”.
A decision on the future of Grenfell Tower will not be made without further conversations with bereaved families, survivors and local residents. Any decision must be approached sensitively and in a way that people feel as comfortable as possible with— Government spokesperson
A report published by the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission last year said it is the Government’s responsibility to make decisions about whether the tower stays up or is taken down – but if the latter happens there has been a promise to ensure materials from the building are available to be used as part of any memorial.
The report contained a number of possible options for the site including a memorial garden, monument or museum.
The commission is made up of representatives of the bereaved, survivors and local residents.
A spokesperson for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said: “A decision on the future of Grenfell Tower will not be made without further conversations with bereaved families, survivors and local residents. Any decision must be approached sensitively and in a way that people feel as comfortable as possible with.
“The Government is committed to supporting the independent Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission in the creation of a fitting and lasting memorial, determined by the community, to honour those who lost their lives in the tragedy.”
