Ayshea Buksh/Bereaved families, survivors and local residents will come together in west London this weekend to remember the victims of the Grenfell Tower fire.
The Met Police investigation into what led to the “avoidable” tragedy in 2017 which claimed the lives of 72 people – 18 of whom were children – is still ongoing .
In a few months’ time, work will begin to take down the 23-storey building, so this year’s eighth anniversary will be especially poignant.
Many families and survivors believe the tower should stay until there are criminal prosecutions while some local residents say they find it difficult to see every day.
Ayshea Buksh/‘Seeing the tower gives us hope’
Raymond ‘Moses’ Bernard lived on the top floor of Grenfell Tower for over 30 years. He died while sheltering several of his neighbours in his one bedroom flat as the blaze took hold.
“That is my brother’s resting place,” says Raymond’s sister Bernie Bernard looking up at the tower. “He was cremated in that building.”
Bernie says Raymond’s flat is likely to be one of the first to go when the dismantling work begins.
“I understand that resting place will be disturbed but it should be disturbed respectfully and not taken away completely.”
In February, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, told families she had made the “difficult” decision to “take down the tower to the ground level”.
“I totally understand the tower has to come down,” says Bernie. “But it should remain until the criminal case has been dealt with, until there are prosecutions.”
Family friend Jackie Leger said: “Seeing the tower and the green hearts give us hope.”
Bernie has asked Ms Rayner to reconsider her decision and allow some of the tower’s structure to remain.
“We were told the first 10 floors were OK,” she says. “They should at the very least keep the reception.”
Jackie added: “I can’t see why the government can’t wait a few more years to start the demolition. It’s going to destroy a lot of people, especially families.”
‘Tower should not come down’
Survivor Tiago Alves was 21 when he escaped with his family from their 13th floor home. In the aftermath he paused his studies, but is now back at university doing a physics PHD and campaigns with Grenfell United.
“It will incredibly difficult as this will be the last anniversary where the tower is standing,” he says.
“For some people this is a crime scene, for others it’s where their loved ones have passed. For me personally it’s where my childhood went up in flames.”
Tiago says he often visits the makeshift memorial wall at the foot of the tower to “reflect and remember”.
“I am lucky to be here, so many others weren’t,” he says.
“My personal view is that the tower should not come down until justice is served.”
Grenfell Inquiry‘Souls that were lost’
Munira Mahmud’s family also lived in Grenfell Tower for many years. They all managed to escape from the fire and still live locally in North Kensington.
But her best friend Rania Ibrahim and two daughters Fethia, aged four, and three-year-old Hania, died.
“Some days I go there sit down and just cry,” she says. “I think maybe they can hear me, the souls that were lost, my friend and the girls. I can hear them… saying Auntie… Mama.”
Munira also wants to keep the building intact until there are criminal prosecutions.
“What we are fighting for and yearning for is justice – prosecutions for those responsible. We deserve that.”
She accepts the tower will eventually have to come down, but asks “what’s the rush?”
Constantine Gras‘An absence in the landscape’
Grenfell Tower was originally built with reinforced concrete in 1974. The refurbishment with external flammable cladding and insulation was completed just a year before the fire.
Filmmaker and artist Constantine Gras worked with residents during that time and has documented the tower’s history.
“It’s a tragic feeling to know the tower was at the heart of the community and it now symbolises a broken society,” he said.
He found one of the original architects Nigel Whitbread and invited him to meet residents.
Constantine said: “Nigel said his design was still solid and the building ‘should last for at last for another 100 years’.
He added: “We have to accept there will be this absence in the landscape but it always be a wound.”
A structural engineers report from December 2024 said the tower was “stable” but it concluded the “underlying structure will worsen over time” because of “significant damage caused by the fire”.
Engineers advised it would “not be practical to remediate all or part of the damaged structure” and the tower was “especially damaged above the 10th floor”.
‘In everyone’s heart and soul’
But while many families and survivors want the tower to remain intact, some local residents who live near Grenfell Tower are less keen for it to stay as it is.
Chair of the Silchester Estate Residents association, Nahid Ashby, acknowledges the “deconstruction” will be a painful process for many.
“It’s the anniversary and the decision has been made to dismantle the tower but I don’t think there will ever be a good time to do this,” she said.
“The sooner it’s done the sooner they can put a memorial in place.
“Grenfell Tower will never be forgotten. The memory of Grenfell is so imprinted in everyone’s heart and soul.”
Mushtaq Lasharie, chairman of Lancaster West Estate Residents Association, had previously said he hoped the decision would bring “closure”.
He also said the majority of their residents wanted it down as they felt it was a “daily reminder” and potentially “dangerous”.
Sandra Ruiz sits on the Grenfell Memorial Commission – an independent body with representatives from bereaved families, survivors and local residents groups.
Her niece Jessica Urbano Ramirez died in the fire. She was weeks away from her 13th birthday.
“I would hope she would now be thriving and learning, living life to the full,” says Sandra. “She is not here.”
“That’s why the memorial is so important to the families. For those children and the adults that were lost.”
For the past few years, the commission has been consulting with those affected while researching how other memorials have been created.
Sandra says so far they’ve looked into various sites including those honouring the victims of Aberfan, Hillsborough and 9/11 in New York.
“We’re looking at how a memorial is created and maintained, choosing designers and learning what materials will stand the test of time,” she explains.
According to Sandra, “it’s really important the government listens to the community regarding the memorial and the future of the tower”.
Planning permission for the memorial is expected to be submitted by the end of 2026.
There is a lot resting on what comes next.
Bernie said: “Grenfell needs to be remembered. We need it to stay visible.”
“The memorial has to be a place where we can feel a sense of calm, as we do every anniversary,” adds Jackie.
Munira said: “We want somewhere where we can sit, reflect and remember and pray for them.”
Tiago Alves says he doesn’t mind what it will be exactly but it has to be a place where “no matter how many years afterwards people can find peace”.
The government has declined London’s interview requests.
A spokesperson for The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government said: “We recognise that Grenfell Tower has a deep personal significance to those most affected by the tragedy and all work at the site must be undertaken sensitively and respectfully.”
It says the work is estimated to take two years from this September and will continue behind the hoarding.
The Forever in Our Hearts banner will remain in place.
“The tower may be coming down but we are strong and resilient. We will keep fighting for justice,” says Jackie. “It won’t stop us.”
