Delia-Rene

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Three things I've witnessed since the Grenfell Tower tragedy

If you know me...you will know I'm extremely proud of being born & raised in West London. 

My reasons for this are endless but I have numerous childhood memories & moments that have accumulated to the woman I am today. When I woke up to a Whatsapp message from my cousin with a video of the fire blaze, my heart broke because my immediate thought was "this is bad...really bad".

We have infamous tower blocks in West London, Grenfell Tower, Trellick Tower & Shepherds Court to just to name a few & coincidentally all THREE have been victims of fires over the last 18months...coincidence I think not and all been blamed on one form of appliance or another. I can't even fathom to imagine what those residents were feeling, let alone witnessed during that tradegy. To wake up to the screams, the panic, the sight of fire & smoke. I seriously commend every member of the public & the fire fighters who worked endlessly to get the residents out.

1. Community spirit & effort makes this city amazing!

I went to volunteer yesterday at Exmoor Street, a stone throw from my mother's house to help stock up the donations that people (noticed I said PEOPLE) had donated. We unpacked trucks, cars, vans and they were full to the brim of clothing,bedding, water, shoes, food for the residents of Grenfell & it filled my heart. People from all over London even some drove down from Luton to do their part. I saw people from my area I've grown up with come together for a cause and for several hours we formed a line and moved box after box, bag after bag and I've never felt more proud of the human race than I did yesterday. We didn't know each other but that did not matter! There was young,old, black, white, Muslim, Christian all together talking and showing support because we realised that it wasn't about us...it was about those victims who now have nowhere to live and are still looking for their lost ones. We weren't there for people to thank us we were there because its the right and moral thing to do.

With some of the volunteers after we had finished storing donations at Exmoor Street

2. Muslims deserve your respect...point blank period

Let me tell you something all the sensationalist propaganda on the TV and news is all done to make us fear Muslims and to villianise their religion and people. Yesterday I saw muslim charities and Muslims donate gargantial amounts for this cause. They are currently fasting during Ramadan and yet were there with us in solidarity to help out until we were done. They didn't complain, they didn't make themselves martyrs, they just came to support and show lovem In West London especially we are a melting pot of cultures and religion. I grew up in a multicultural community, I have Muslim friends and even family members, I've taught Muslim students and they preach & live by LOVE more than anything else just as Christians we are taught that GOD IS LOVE and to "love others as I have loved you". To be fasting and still be there...speaks volumes to myself & if I ever hear any ignorant person speak ill towards them be prepared for my response, especially when you sat in your house and did nothing during this time.

3. Fuck Theresa May, those with political power & mass encorpations

You do not care for us, you do not care for the working class, for the victims that have lost loved ones and every homely possession that they had. Take your statement of "regret,thoughts and prayers for the victims" walk to the 20th floor of a tower and jump off it. My borough is a Tri-borough yet I have seen NOTHING done by the local council for its residents. But we've been fighting this aristocratic govenment for years, beautifully put by this young king on BBC: 

And I agree with him wholeheartedly, my area has been drastically gentrified over the last few years. The youth clubs and playcentres that I grew up in and have fond memories in have had drastic budget cuts and are closing down, our hospitals A&E departments are under threat, you have knocked down historical places of importance...to build multi-millon high rise flats for the rich and push council residents to out of London and knock down our flats that are an "eye sore" for the stuck up rich bastards that are moving in to "Royal" borough of Kensington & Chelsea. What about the people who have built this community? Who MADE this community the amazing place it is today? The local banks amd supermarkets who we invest our hard earned money into have done absolutely NOTHING for its local residents and I am beyond angry. I'm seething because I already knew that the government and companies do not care about the working class yet are quick to spew their judgement on us? Fuck you. As a Count Assistant for the General Election nothing made me more happier than seeing the local Conservative councillors faces when Labour won back our borough. Theresa May and the government are not losing sleep over this tragedy because they sleep in 1000 thread Egyptian cotton beds and will probably be celebrating that they now have a reason to finally move those residents to another area. So many times during the day the volunteers spoke about the lack of support from those within power, you think a brief visit to the site of the tragedy means anything? You should have ALL been there rolling up your sleeves with us but you weren't and you will never have my respect because of that. 

To everyone who donated and volunteered its not even my place to thank you but you have taught me more than you know about God's love and the power of coming together for one cause. I was literally surrounded by love and for my own community, it is horrible that it took something like this for everyone to come together and help out. 

Please note places are currently overwhelmed with donations and not taking any more.

What they really need is the man power and people willing to come and help sort through the donations. This is going to be something that will take YEARS and will never be resolved as so many have lost their lives, what they had to witness will no doubt have an effect on them mentally,physically and emotionally for the rest of their lives. But I will do everything I can for the years to come, I will protest, fight and support because I am a Christian, a humanitarian and finally a West Londoner and proud!

I will be volunteering this entire weekend if you would like to join me simply send me an email & I will tell you where I am. However the following places need volunteers: 

Also I've just read an article regarding a victim by the name of Christos Fairbairn who has been emergency housed in Earls Court, if anyone knows him please let me know ASAP I would love to offer him some food or anything he needs as he is currently living in my area.

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