Joined by the GOL volunteers who dropped their normal work to support LRT last year, the Secretary of State stood alongside secondees from London Fire Brigade, the Metropolitan Police, London Ambulance Service, City of London Police, British Transport Police, Transport for London, ALG, LFEPA, NHS and the Salvation Army to pay tribute to those who lost their lives.
The Secretary of State addressed the team, thanking them on behalf of Government for their hard work and commitment. She then spent time with members of the team, discussing some of their work.
Police secondee Sergeant Gary Silver and Salvation Army secondee Major Muriel McClenahan discussed the Mass Fatalities Plan that was activated on 7 July. Sarah Leonard and Becky Drake presented the LRT flu plan and the new ‘London Prepared’ website, as examples of other work that has been developed over the last twelve months. The GOL volunteers fed back on the role they played last year, which involved providing administrative support not only to Riverwalk House, but also at the Strategic Co-ordination Centre, and to the LRT Mass and the coroners at the temporary mortuary.
The anniversary was marked across London with a number of memorials. Families of the victims unveiled memorial plaques at the underground stations where the bombs went off, and at Tavistock square. A mosaic of flowers was laid in Regent’s Park for the public to contribute to, and in the evening an event was held in the park to remember those who lost their lives.
London Resilience Team is currently re-visiting the lessons learnt from last year’s response, many of which have already been addressed and others that are being taken forward. The London Assembly’s recent review of 7 July brought to the surface a number of issues that London Resilience partners want to collectively respond to. The Home Office is shortly releasing a National response, and London partners will use this opportunity to release the London response.
For more information on LRT contact Becky Drake on 020 7217 3670
