Nikki's experience of Trafalgar Square

A view of the London Bombings memorial from Trafalgar Square

Nikki or rather Fimb, a regular commenter to this blog, went along to the giant screening of the memorial service at Trafalgar Square. Just as a bit of background, Fimb herself was caught up in the aftermath of the bombings on July 7th and witnessed a lot of injured people leaving one of the bombed Tube stations. She spent some hours in a recovery unit on the day, as the shock was a lot for her to take in.

However like many other people who wanted to help, then Fimb took part in the Tuberelief challenge that many of us were involved in for the victims of the bombings.

I'm now going to let Fimb take over and describe yesterday in her own words:

"Well.. I'm home from Trafalgar Square.

There weren't as many people there as I had expected, but a couple of thousand still I reckon.

I'm really pleased I went.. It was cathartic, and like a funeral, I think it was important for me to be able to close that chapter.

The press were really over intrusive in my opinion. Every time someone was found to be crying, there was almost a scrum of them point their cameras in that direction. I felt a complete fool when a close up of me crying suddenly appeared on the big screen - running 30 seconds behind so it was too late to hide. There were literally hundreds of photographers, journalists and cameras. I had to be quite rude to the reporter from the Dutch Telegraph who refused to take no for an answer when she wanted to interview me DURING the service. It's a shame that I have come home feeling anger towards them (and the less said about the group of American tourists who sat in front of me the better..)

The London Town Crier was there. He was lovely, and spent the first 30 minutes desparately refusing any press interviews, and trying to explain to various groups of tourists that he was there for a memorial, not to have his photo taken with giggling groups of them.

Lots of good stuff.. Like the old man with his dog two people down from me, who when he saw me crying, sent his dog over to me for a cuddle.. the loveliness of sitting in Trafalgar Square in November, perfectly warm enough in just a T-shirt (till the sun sunk behind the Canadian Embassy), and how slowly, people's voices joining in with the Lord's Prayer lifted over the traffic.

Wish I'd set the DVD recorder for it, as it was quite hard to hear alot of it, and would like be able to listen to the words in more detail. I was suprised at how many words to the hymns and prayers I remembered.

Anyway, chapter closed, time to start a new one (after a bath of course!)"

Many thanks for that report Fimb and I hope it has helped you to exorcise a few demons.

London Underground; Tube Posted by annie mole Wednesday, November 02, 2005 Permalink COMMENT HERE
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