TWO people who helped survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire in London were in Newcastle last week to thank local people for their support and generosity following the disaster.
Newcastle Lions Club hosted an information last Thursday evening when Doreen Allen and Chanel Vigille, Lions members from Dagenham in London were the special guests.
Seventy two people, including children died in the inferno in June 2017. More than 70 people were injured and over 200 were fortunate to escape with their lives.
It was the worst residential fire in the UK since the Second World War.
Just days following the blaze Newcastle Lions Club organised a one-day street collection in the town which raised £1,250.
The money was given to young members of the Fairlop Alpha Leo Club — an off-shoot of the Lions — whose age ranges from 11 to 15.
At last Thursday’s event Newcastle Lions president Dan O’Reilly thanked the members who had visited Newcastle and spent time talking with students of Assumption Grammar School in Ballynahinch, The High School Ballynahinch and Shimna Integrated College.
Doreen and Chanel talked about on the role Fairlop Lions played in helping child survivors of the fire and also presented a video.
The Lions provided 394 haversacks filled with school equipment for primary and post-primary children in the area.
Nursery equipment and books were bought using the money raised by people in the Newcastle area.
Some of those attending were moved to tears when they learned five students who attended a school close to the tower had died in the fire.
The school, which was home to 1,800 children, had to be relocated for a year, as did the nursery school located on the second floor of the tower.
Among those attending on Thursday evening was Newry, Mourne and Down Council chairman Mark Murnin, who officially opened the event.
Dr Tom Woolley, an architect and environmental consultant from Crossgar, who was present at Grenfell Tower shortly after the fire, gave a short talk about the issues relating to the cladding on the tower block.
This helped the audience to further understand how the building caught fire so quickly.
Chanel thanked Newcastle for all their kindness and generosity and presented a certificate of thanks to Mr Murnin.
A cheque for £250 was presented to the Grenfell Tower project by Downpatrick Lions Club president Sean Carville.
The evening was closed by Ireland’s Lions District Governor, Frank O’Donoghue who presented a further £250, which was collected from the audience during the evening.