May 2022 Newsletter

This update contains information about: 

• Module 4 hearings 
• Module 7 hearings 
• Module 8 hearings
• Monthly community drop-in sessions 
• Disclosure figures
• Core Participant figures
• Support arrangements during hearings 
• Contacting the Inquiry

Module 4 hearings 

Hearings in Module 4, which examines the response of local and central government in the immediate aftermath of the fire, have concluded. The Inquiry has heard evidence from a number of Bereaved, Survivors and Residents (BSRs) about their experiences of the provision of humanitarian assistance together with witnesses from the voluntary and community sectors, local and central government, and other public sector bodies. 

The Inquiry has published a fact sheet on Module 4 which sets out in greater detail the structure and scope of the investigations. It can be found here. 

Module 7 hearings 

The Inquiry will now turn to Module 7, in which some of the Inquiry’s expert witnesses will be called to give evidence. 

The Inquiry will hear first from experts on the design and operation of the smoke control system installed at Grenfell Tower; it will then hear evidence about the supply and use of water for firefighting at Grenfell Tower on 14 June 2017. After that there will be evidence from Professor José Torero and Professor Luke Bisby covering the following topics: 

• Their testing of cladding components carried out at the University of Edinburgh;
• Their conclusions on the relative contributions of the design and materials to the spread of the fire at Grenfell Tower;
• The adequacy of the current testing regime; 
• The conclusions they have drawn about the Grenfell Tower fire, including the lessons to be learnt when comparing the Grenfell Tower fire with other fires, both domestic and international. 

Finally, Professor David Purser will give his analysis of the effects of exposure to the toxic products of fire and the causes of the incapacitation and death of those who died at Grenfell Tower.

The Inquiry will hear from the following expert witnesses in the order below: 

• Mr Simon Lay – Smoke Control System
• Dr Barbara Lane – Smoke Control System
• Dr Ivan Stoianov – The provision and use of water for firefighting
• Professor José Torero and Professor Luke Bisby will each give a presentation as well as answering questions on their reports.
• Professor Luke Bisby – Testing regime and reports on materials testing including the experimental testing
• Professor José Torero – Testing Regime and aspects of his report for Module 5 which relate to Dr Stoianov’s report
• Professor David Purser – Toxicology - the effects of exposure to the toxic products of fire and the causes of the incapacitation and death of those who died at Grenfell Tower

Module 7 hearings will commence on 6 June and will last for about two weeks. There will then be a break for closing statements for Modules 6 and 4 before Professor Purser gives evidence at the end of June. The Inquiry will not hold hearings on the anniversary of the fire on 14 June 2022. 

Module 8 hearings

On 4 July the Inquiry will begin Module 8, in which it will hear any outstanding evidence about those who lost their lives in the Grenfell Tower fire. 

Monthly community drop-in sessions 

The Inquiry will continue to hold monthly drop-in sessions until the end of Phase 2 hearings. The details of these sessions can be found here. 

The Inquiry plans to hold several ad hoc drop-in sessions for BSRs and the local community throughout the report-writing stage. The details of these sessions will be published online nearer the time. 

The Inquiry team can also be contacted by telephone or email once hearings have concluded. Contact information for the Inquiry can be found at the end of this newsletter. 

Disclosure figures

As at 24 May 2022, the Inquiry has disclosed 20,752 documents in Phase 1 and 298,808 in Phase 2, making a total of 319,560.

Core Participant figures

The full list of the Inquiry's core participants (CPs) is available on the key documents page. Further information on CPs is covered in our guide, which includes details of the role they play in the Inquiry and how this differs from being a witness.

The total number of CPs is 644.

Support arrangements during hearings

BSRs and members of the public can get in touch with Hestia directly to access wellbeing services by contacting 0800 246 5617 between 09:45 and 16:45 Monday to Thursday. Hestia will provide a range of services including:

• One-to-one telephone or online support sessions that BSRs will be able to book with a counsellor during the day or at the end of the day’s hearings. Please contact Hestia on 0800 246 5617.
• Drop-in video conference group sessions are available, where BSRs can join a counsellor in a peer support group to support one another and to air and talk through any feelings or concerns. These sessions will start and finish with some resilience exercises, for example paced breathing, grounding and mindfulness exercises and taught resilience tools. For more information and instructions for joining a group session please contact Hestia on 0800 246 5617.

Counselling support services continue to be available for anyone who wants to talk about their emotional wellbeing. The NHS Grenfell Outreach Team is available Monday to Thursday from 08:00 to 20:00, and on Friday from 08:00 to 17:00. Their number is 0208 637 6279. More information, including out of hours contact numbers, can be found on the NHS website.

Contact information

The Inquiry team can be contacted by telephone on 0800 121 4282 or by email at [email protected]