Cornwall Hugs Grenfell welcomes 500th guest for respite holiday in Cornwall

  • Watch: ITV West Country's Charlotte Gay reports

A Cornish charity which helps victims of the Grenfell Tower disaster has welcomed its 500th guest to the Duchy.

Cornwall Hugs Grenfell was set up in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower disaster, when 72 people died after a fire destroyed a block of flats in London in June 2017.

The charity organises holidays for those affected by the disaster and has welcomed hundreds of guests since it was set up.

The Penwith coastline; a change of scenery from the guests homes in West London Credit: ITV News

Mohamed Ragab, 84, was the 500th guest hosted by Cornwall Hugs.

He lived close to the Tower and witnessed the fire first-hand, but was helpless to save his disabled nephew Hesham Rahman, who lived on the top floor.

He told ITV West Country, it is a memory he will "never forget".

"It is going to be in my memory all the time," he added.

"People have been helping us a lot. And they knew how we were feeling and that's why they've invited us."

Anne Marie Murphy lost her brother Denis in the fire, and came to Cornwall with four generations of her family, including Denis' mother Anne, over what would have been Denis' birthday.

She said the holiday gave them a chance to escape.

"There's still so much going on in the background that a lot of people don't see. But we, as bereaved families, survivors, it's still going on for us and it's still a long road ahead," she said.

The Penlee lifeboat crew have supported over 100 of Grenfell guests Credit: CORNWALL HUGS GRENFELL

During the break, Cornwall Hugs organised a short memorial at sea with the Penlee Lifeboat team, where the families cast white roses into the water.

The group also crossed the causeway to St Michael’s Mount where they were welcomed by Lord St Levan before climbing the steep cobbled path to the castle.

Steve Crummay, from Explore in Cornwall, led two wildlife walks during the respite holiday and said it was "extraordinary" to see what a difference it made for the guests.

He said: "To be part of that is, for us, really fulfilling and if we can help in just a tiny way, that is an immense reward for us."

Grenfell families were welcomed onto St Michaels Mount by Lord St Levan Credit: CORNWALL HUGS GRENFELL

Charity founder Esmé Page, said they are continuing to receive support from local businesses in Cornwall, and took the opportunity to say "thank you Cornwall".

She added: "Thank you for your warm-hearted response and trust, and for your willingness to reach out and hug the people that you don't know. Strangers have become friends and we've all learnt so much".