White Flowers Campaign & Memorial Event - Westminster London

Team Inspire travelled to Westminster from Buckinghamshire to attend the moving memorial reflecting and remember those child sexual abuse victims no longer with us and witnessed a massive turn out of devoted supporters laying white flowers, pictures of loved ones balloons and tributes at The Old Palace Yard opposite the Houses of Parliament.

It was a moving, emotional and serene ceremony commencing officially at 11am with survivors, professional and MP’s saying a few words of solace and support. Several members of the media attended and Jenny Tomlin was interviewed by the Press Association sharing her experience of horrendous familial abuse and the organsations that let her and her siblings down in the 1950’s and 60’s. Sadly her younger brother did not make it and passed away at the age of 17 years having also experienced and witnessed abuse within the family and extended family. Guests were invited to arrive at about 10.30am and on the stroke of 11am by Big Ben there was a moving and emotional minutes silence remembering lost voices.

At 12.30pm survivors were invited to join a large panel of speakers representing the White Flowers Campaign in the House of Commons. The meeting was well attended, over filling a room that hold 400 to a massive capacity of approximately 440 individuals all wishing to share their experiences, voices some thoughts and opinions and listen to a wide range of speakers representing survivors, professionals, safeguarding, police, MP’s, whistleblowers and the media. The room was so full many attendees had to sit on the floor for two hours. The media was asked to report ethically and dig under every stone to find the truth as this can only be an asset to all of us.

It was a fantastic turn out and all be it that everyone had their own opinions, feelings, thoughts and ideas for a way forward there was a sense of unity in the room working for the same outcome – to safeguard current and future children from abuse and to ensure nothing that closely resembles this epidemic and endemic scale of abuse ever happens again. It was apparent mostly everyone attending was united in outing the corruption and cover ups and are asking for a statutory inquiry that delves deep, brings adequate conclusions that see appropriate convictions. It was requested on numerous occasions for all to work together, unite and speak with one voice. Allow individuals to deal with their life, experience and situations in their own way – respect each other. However, there were many survivors and representative guests who had come with hope their voices would be heard; most did not expect the meeting to be “conference style”.

There were more than twenty speakers all sharing child sexual abuse experiences and offering their opinions on what they would like to see develop and conclude from the Home Office Child Sexual Abuse Inquiry. Much was shared and interesting topics were covered but I do not wish to share detail here publically. The meeting was scheduled for two hours, from 12.30pm to 2.30pm and ran over by about 30 minutes; it was hard to concentrate by the end due to the high level of emotions in the room and was slightly disappointing that no time was given to hear some of the attendee’s experiences and questions. At a follow up meeting it would be positive to plan time for a Q&A session at the end of the meeting.

The meeting dispersed at around 3.00pm with many supporters, colleagues and twitterpals meeting sociably for dinner and drinks in a Westminster pub sharing feelings and thoughts of the day and constructive feedback for future meetings and the inquiry. Some commented this was the best part of the day, engaging with new faces and discussing freely with likeminded friends and colleagues regarding their viewpoints, frustrations and concerns as well as what they wish to see from the CSA Inquiry.

All in all it was an emotional, moving and exhausting day bringing a huge group of survivors and supporters to the House. As the Rt Hon John Mann MP so eloquently expressed “there is something symbolic about holding such a meeting in this room, in this building, as the public own this room and building.”

Although everyone had different experiences, opinions, concerns and wants, sadly the room and format did not give space and time to enabling those who had travelled many miles, some by aeroplane, to have their say, ask questions and at the end of the meeting there was no suggestion of a way forward from here. Some wanted to know where it all goes from here; what happens next?

Nevertheless, it is important to recognise and thank those that arranged the day, the work carried out and the dedication of those behind the scenes bringing over 440 victims and survivors together in one place to make a bold and emphatic statement to Westminster, the media, the UK and ultimately the world.

Team Inspire would like to thank all those involved in making this day possible.

Written by Team Inspire
Attended the above meeting on 14th January 2015

@inspire4UMeUs