7/7 - A personal perspective...

As the UK remembers the events in London 10 years ago I thought I might write a quick personal account. I was working in my office in London on the 7th July just on the edge of the total vehicle exclusion zone. With all the traffic stopped there was just a slow dignified procession of commuters walking out of the city to the waiting buses at the end of our street. I have never known the streets of London so quiet on that day with just the occasional police car breaking the silence. I was an Emergency Services Volunteer for the Salvation Army at the time and spent the next couple of  weekends manning a mobile canteen at Russell Square for the Emergency Services. My admiration for the Police Fire and Ambulance crews and at times the gruesome duties they had to perform over the coming hours, days, and weeks remains undimmed. My most vivid memory and perhaps what brought home to me the individual cost of that day was when the police clearance teams began bringing up personal effects from the underground station such as briefcases, umbrellas and handbags, abandoned by their owners in the panic.

The actions of many individuals and organisations at that time and the memories of the victims have always inspired me to work towards building a more resilient community where ever I have lived and whilst Bradford on Avon is far from London and targets for international terrorism the efforts of all who seek to protect our hard won freedoms inspire me to do my own small share.

Best wishes to you all

Kind Regards


Paul Robertson


Senior CEV Coordinator