Children who survived the Grenfell Tower fire will tell the public to cherish their families and appreciate their homes in a message to be broadcast on Christmas Day.
Five girls and boys, aged between seven and 12, will speak of the impact and share their memories of the catastrophic fire last June, in which 71 people died and hundreds of families were made homeless, in Channel 4’s alternative Christmas message.
Luana Gomes, 12, whose family escaped from the 21st floor, says: “My Christmas message is that everyone should love and respect each other because you never know what tomorrow will be like. And it’s important to love and cherish your family.”
Her sister Megan, 10, says: “I think all families, children and parents should have a nice, warm, cosy home. I just want everyone in the world to have a house at least.”
The sisters and their mother, Andreia, were placed in induced comas while they were treated for smoke inhalation after the fire. Andreia Gomes was seven months pregnant, but her son Logan was stillborn hours after the fire while she was still unconscious.
The family lived in a hotel for five months after their home was destroyed, but they recently moved to a temporary flat where they will spend Christmas.
Recalling earlier festive celebrations, Megan says: “We always got a real tree, not a fake tree. We would all gather round the tree and open our presents, and sometimes go round to our gran’s.”
Hayam Atmani, 10, will spend Christmas and her birthday, on 27 December, in the hotel where her family is still living.
“It’s not that much fun,” she will tell viewers. “My message for everyone at Christmas is to stay as a family, and don’t suffer about anything.
“I know it’s been a really hard time for everyone, but everyone went through and everyone helped as a family. So I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year.”
Hayam recalls fleeing her family’s 15th floor flat on the night of the fire. “All we could see is this big flame on the side of the building.”
She says her friends loved the views from the family’s flat. “Everyone came. They were just saying: ‘Oh that’s so cool. I wish I lived here.’ You could see the whole area, parks and stuff.”
Amiel Miller, 10, and his seven-year-old brother, Danel, say that on the night of the fire their mother told them to get dressed and run down the stairs.
“We got outside and then saw stuff falling down from the tower and grass on fire,” says Danel.
Amiel’s Christmas message is: “It’s not all about getting presents, it’s also about giving.”
In previous years, Channel 4’s Christmas message has been delivered by Brendan Cox, the husband of the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox, the whistleblower Edward Snowden and the parents of the murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence.
The broadcast is intended as an alternative to the Queen’s Christmas message aired on the BBC.
