‘I’ve been so moved by your resilience’: Emotional Adele thanks Grenfell United for fighting for ‘true justice’ as she attends virtual memorial service on three-year anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire
- Sunday marked three years since a small kitchen fire on the fourth floor in the high-rise turned into the most deadly domestic blaze since the Second World War
- The singer, 32, joined the nation in a virtual commemoration service to honour the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire
- In a heartfelt video message, the musician expressed her gratitude towards Grenfell United – a pressure group made up of the families of victims and survivors of the 2017 tragedy – for campaigning for safe homes
- Rapper Stormzy described the Government’s response to Grenfell as the ‘greatest injustice’ he’s ever witnessed, while Mumford & Sons’ Marcus Mumford performed a powerful rendition of charity single You’ll Never Walk Alone
- Some 2,000 residential buildings are still wrapped in dangerous cladding, which covered the west London tower block
- A total of 72 residents lost their lives and a further 74 sent to hospital with non-fatal injuries
- Firefighters battled for nearly 24 hours before the inferno was eventually brought under control at 1.14am on June 15
- The public inquiry into the disaster was paused in March because of the pandemic and is due to restart on July 6
Adele thanked Grenfell United for ‘fighting for true justice’ during a YouTube memorial service to honour the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire on the three-year anniversary of the tragedy on Sunday.
The singer, 32, commemorated the 72 people who lost their lives after a blaze tore through the residential block in west London in 2017, and expressed her gratitude towards the pressure group for campaigning for safer homes as some 2,000 residential buildings are still wrapped in unsafe cladding.
In a heartfelt video message, the musician said: ‘I want to send my love to all of you today. Even though it’s so important for us to remember that night, it’s also important for us to reflect on where we are now and celebrate the lives that were lived.’
Heartfelt: Adele attended a YouTube memorial service to honour the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire on the three-year anniversary of the tragedy on Sunday
Adele made a rare appearance as she highlighted the importance of ‘exercising persistence’.
The songwriter explained: ‘This year, there has never been a more important time to exercise persistence for answers, persistence for actions.
‘It’s a fact that human beings are not supposed to be left on our own, we need each other to survive. I truly see the action of the community.’
Overwhelmed with emotion, the Rolling In The Deep singer took time to show her appreciation towards Grenfell United for ‘supporting the community’ and calling for justice and change.
‘I want to send my love to all of you today’: The singer, 32, commemorated the 72 people who lost their lives after a blaze tore through the residential block in west London in 2017
Making a statement: The songwriter made a rare appearance as she highlighted the importance of ‘exercising persistence’
The artist continued: ‘I’ve never been so moved by them, no one can expect anyone to have that much resilience.’
Adele has been heavily involved in supporting the victims’ families in the wake of the tragedy, including backing a petition calling for then Prime Minister Theresa May to launch a public inquiry into the blaze.
Similarly, the media personality attended the Memorial Service at St Paul’s Cathedral and even went to thank the firefighters involved for their efforts.
Referencing her support, the Skyfall hitmaker added: ‘One of my proudest things is supporting your fight in true justice.’
Overwhelmed: The Rolling In The Deep singer took time to show her appreciation towards Grenfell United for ‘supporting the community’ and calling for justice and change
The Tottenham native ended her message by vowing to meet up with members of the community in the near future as the coronavirus lockdown has forced supporters to mark the anniversary online.
She said: ‘I’m so sad that we’re not all together, it’s always a very sombre event, it’s also beautiful and the kids are running around.
‘I hope we can all do that before the anniversary next year. I miss you all but I can’t wait to see you all, thinking of you all more than ever. Stay safe, stay healthy.’
Stormzy also paid tribute as he ‘spoke from his heart to stand in solidarity’ with the survivors and bereaved from the fire.
Powerful: Stormzy also paid tribute as he ‘spoke from his heart to stand in solidarity’ with the survivors and bereaved from the fire
The grime icon, 26, said: ‘Yo what’s going on people, it’s Stormzy here. Today marks the third anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire.
‘I said I was just going to talk from my heart instead of preparing this. To all the people of Grenfell, we’re still mourning with you. Let’s use today to stand in solidarity.’
Stormzy, real name Michael Ebenazer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr., went on to recognise the Grenfell community’s ability to ‘turn a dark tragedy into triumph’.
What the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (HCLGC) is calling for, three years after the devastating Grenfell fire
The parliamentary committee report into high-risk residential buildings, which is titled, Cladding: Progress of Remediation, calls for:
- The Government to ensure all buildings of any height with ACM cladding to be fully remediated of all fire safety defects by December 2021.
- Buildings with other fire safety defects, including non-ACM cladding, should be remediated before June 2022.
- The Building Safety Fund to be increased to address all fire safety defects in every high-risk residential building, potentially costing up to £15 billion.
- Any residential building where works have not commenced by December this year to be subject to a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO), with a new national body created to step in where councils are ‘unable or unwilling to act’.
The MC explained: ‘When the powers that be have turned their back on you, remember we’re here.
‘Unless you had someone in the fire that you directly lost, our lives have moved on, but that is still a dark reality for these people.
‘I’m so upset that this pandemic is the reason we can’t be together, but what I’ve seen for myself is that I’ve watched the community take a dark tragedy and turn it into triumph.
‘Whenever I’m around the Grenfell lot, I’m filled with so much love and joy. This is one of the remarkable and amazing things I’ve ever seen. I love you guys, never forget what happened.’
‘You lot inspire me as you’ve remained so resilient in the face of the most darkest tragedy that people should not experience. I don’t know how we have the mental, emotional threshold for that, you’re legendary. I’m always here, God bless.
Branding the Government’s response to Grenfell as the ‘greatest injustice’ he’s ever witnessed, the Gang Signs & Prayer musician explained: ‘It’s our duty to never ever forget about Grenfell, and that we constantly remind ourselves, our people and the world about that day.
‘I still can’t fathom how that many lives were lost and there is no justice, no one behind bars due to this. We had a community who were screaming out, taking all the proper routes, crying to the councils saying that the cladding was unsafe, and they were constantly denied and ignored.
‘What that left us with is the greatest tragedy we’ve seen, which I’ll also say is the greatest injustice I’ve ever seen. The council, authorities and Governments ended up destroying lives. Let this be a constant stain on British society. There has not been any justice.’
Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford performed a powerful rendition of charity single You’ll Never Walk Alone, while rapper Dave committed to ‘do everything in my power to help’.
Earlier in the day, Adele shared a link to tonight’s YouTube memorial alongside a caption that read: ‘Today, Sunday, is 3 years since #Grenfell. 72 lives will be forever in our hearts.
‘Join with me & @grenfell_united to REMEMBER at 6pm on youtube.com/GrenfellUnited – to Show that we’re still united for change & justice. Follow @grenfell_united for more info. #Grenfell #Demandchange [sic].’
Moving: Mumford & Sons frontman Marcus Mumford performed a powerful rendition of charity single You’ll Never Walk Alone
Sunday marked three years since a small kitchen fire on the fourth floor in the high-rise turned into the most deadly domestic blaze since the Second World War.
A total of 72 residents lost their lives and a further 74 sent to hospital with non-fatal injuries.
Firefighters battled for nearly 24 hours before the inferno was eventually brought under control at 1.14am on June 15.
In tribute to each victim who died in the blaze, bells of London churches will toll 72 times and green lights will glow from tower block windows.
Faith leaders conducted sermons and reflections online throughout Sunday and from 10.30pm, people in homes across the UK are asked to shine a bright green light from their screens to show solidarity with the bereaved and survivors.
The public inquiry into the disaster was paused in March because of the pandemic and is due to restart on July 6.
Heartfelt: Earlier in the day, the award-winning musician shared a link to tonight’s YouTube memorial
Fixing all serious fire safety defects in high-risk residential buildings could cost up to £15 billion, a parliamentary committee recently warned.
Nearly 2,000 residential buildings are still covered in cladding, with thousands of homeowners sleeping in potential fire-traps every night, according to the report by the Housing, Communities and Local Government Committee (HCLGC).
But the Government’s new £1 billion fund to remove certain types of cladding will cover just one-third of the highest-risk blocks in England, it adds.
Moreover, it says: ‘Stringent rules on applying to the fund, including a short application window and restrictions against social housing providers, risks leaving many unable to access vital funding.’
Tragedy: Sunday marked three years since a small kitchen fire on the fourth floor in the high-rise turned into the most deadly domestic blaze since the Second World War (pictured)
The report calls on the Government to pay the ‘exorbitant costs’ of temporary safety measures currently being footed by blameless leaseholders, before preparing to take legal action against building owners who have dragged their heels.
It suggests a hard line should be taken against slow-moving building owners, including an extensive use of Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPO) to take direct ownership of the freehold of buildings with serious fire safety defects.
The report, Cladding: Progress of Remediation, states: ‘Residents are facing life-changing bills for more than just combustible cladding.
Support: Adele has been heavily involved in supporting the victims’ families in the wake of the tragedy (pictured in 2017 at the Grenfell Tower Memorial Service)
‘If the Government doesn’t provide additional funding, let us be clear: it means tens of thousands of residents sent massive bills for problems that aren’t their fault, and which, in many cases, will be a financial burden from which they will never recover.
‘It means thousands fewer affordable homes, as councils and housing associations are forced to divert funds to remediation projects; and worst of all, it will mean that some works are never carried out.’
The Government has so far committed £200 million for the removal of ACM cladding from private residential blocks and £400 million for social sector blocks.
Together: Similarly, the musician went to thank the firefighters in the London Fire Brigade involved for their efforts (pictured)
In the spring budget, Chancellor Rishi Sunak set up a £1 billion fund for the removal of unsafe non-ACM cladding for residential blocks 18 metres or taller.
But the committee said this would cover only around 600 of the 1,700 buildings, saying the Government is ‘clearly trying to find ways to fit a £3 billion liability into a £1 billion funding pot.’
Moreover, building owners only have between June 1 and July 31 to apply for funds, which are to be allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis, and any works commenced before March 2020 will not be covered.
United: In tribute to each victim who died in the blaze, bells of London churches will toll 72 times and green lights will glow from tower block windows
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