by Neil Hopkins | Aug 20, 2016 | News
This statement has been provided by Brighton City Airport. On 22 August, the skies above Brighton City Airport will fall silent for one hour, as a mark of our respect for the anniversary of the Shoreham airshow accident. The aerodrome will be close for all aviation activities between 1pm and 2pm (local time) and no aircraft will be permitted to operate inside the Aerodrome Traffic Zone during this time. This means that the airport will be a closed for fixed wing aircraft, helicopters and drones seeking to operate within two nautical miles of the airport during that time period. The intention of the temporary closure is to ensure that those taking part in the minute’s silence at the Bridge at 1.22pm may do so in peace. Our thoughts remain with everyone affected by the tragic events at the RAFA Shoreham Airshow in...
by Neil Hopkins | Aug 19, 2016 | News
When tragedy struck at Shoreham Air Show last August, generous Sussex people responded immediately and, over the coming weeks and months, raised a phenomenal £194,000 to help the bereaved families and others who suffered as a result of that terrible event. Sussex Community Foundation was asked to manage the Fund on behalf of Adur District Council, Brighton & Hove City Council, West Sussex County Council and Worthing Borough Council. Since then, the Foundation has made grants of £108,000 to bereaved families to cover such expenses as funeral costs, transport and accommodation costs, counselling costs, and general living costs, especially where the deceased was the main bread-winner in a family or made a significant financial contribution to the household they lived in. All of the applications received have been supported, in part or in full. “We have learned from our continued liaison with police family liaison officers and others that the needs of many of the families directly affected are likely to continue some time into the future,” said Grants Panel Chairman, Keith Hollis. “Therefore, Sussex Community Foundation has agreed with the local authorities that Phase 2 of the Fund, which was initially for a six-month period, shall be extended until August 2017. At that point, the situation will be further reviewed. It is our aim to manage the Fund, and make grants, in ways in which we believe that the donors, who were so generous in the support of those affected, would have wanted.” Under Phase 2, funds are available ‘to provide longer term help to the families of those who lost their lives in the incident; and those who...
by Neil Hopkins | Aug 17, 2016 | News
Monday 22nd August marks the first anniversary of the tragic events at the Shoreham Air Show 2015. As previously reported, Adur District and Worthing Borough Councils will fall silent at 1.22pm – the exact moment in 2015 when the tragedy started to unfold. In Shoreham the bells of St Mary da Haura will begin to peel at 1.20pm and fall silent at 1.22pm. At 1.23pm, there will be 11 individual rings symbolising the 11 men who lost their lives. In Worthing, maroons will be set off from the beach to signal the start and finish of the minute. Members, officers and the community will gather outside of the Shoreham Centre, Pond Road, and Worthing Town Hall, Chapel Road, to share the minute of silence together, remembering not only those who lost their lives, but also the heroic actions of the emergency services at the scene and the community in the days, weeks and months which followed. Flags on Adur District and Worthing Borough Council buildings will be flown at half mast for the day. West Sussex County Council will mark the minute’s silence across all of its offices and fire stations, and flags will be flown at half-mast at council...
by Neil Hopkins | Jul 20, 2016 | News
On 20th and 22nd August 2016, the community will be coming together to commemorate the first anniversary of the tragic events at the Shoreham Air Show. At 11am on Saturday 20th August, Reverend Anne Waizenecker and Shoreham Churches Together will be holding a service in St Mary de Haura, Shoreham-by-Sea, and all are welcome to attend. On Monday 22nd August, the community are invited to join the Emergency Services and Members and Officers from Adur District Council outside the Shoreham Centre, Pond Road, for a minute of silence at 1:22pm, exactly a year after the tragedy began to unfold. Worthing Borough Council will also be holding a minute of silence on the steps of the Town Hall, Worthing, to which the community is invited. Following the completion of an archive project by West Sussex County Council, images of the thousands of tributes left in the aftermath of the disaster will be on display at the Shoreham Centre from Saturday August 20th to the end of Monday August 22nd. Around the time of the anniversary, a number of initial design ideas will be shared with the community as part of the ongoing conversation to create a fitting permanent memorial. Those design ideas will also be shared through this website for comment and considered...
by Neil Hopkins | May 5, 2016 | News
Progress towards the permanent memorial has been steady since the last update. Following the public invitation for ideas for the permanent memorial, family and community members had an opportunity to consider suggestions into the start of 2016. From the many ideas shared, four clear preferences emerged – artworks (with the focus strongly on a sculptural piece), benches for quiet reflection, plaques for remembrance and a memorial walk which would tie all of these elements together. We have spoken to the Environment Agency who are keen to discuss how a walk taking in the eastern and western banks of the Adur can be incorporated within their Adur Tidal Walls design scheme. We are also asking the Old Shoreham Tollbridge Community Trust for their insight as to how the bridge could be meaningfully incorporated into the walk, ensuring that its history and heritage are respected, as well as reflecting its unique role in the aftermath of the tragedy. With more clarity around the desires of the families and in principle support of the Environment Agency, we will now be identifying a number of designers and placemakers to approach with an outline proposal to design the individual elements of the walk, as well as the route’s overall experience. We will be asking for responses by the summer so that we can work with the families and community on a final draft design, which we are hoping to be able to preview by the time of the first anniversary of the tragedy. Once the design concepts are in, we will be able to produce accurate ideas of costings with the accompanying funding plans...