April 2022 Newsletter

This update contains information about: 

• Module 4 hearings
• Plan for the end of Phase 2 hearings 
• Monthly community drop-in sessions 
• Disclosure figures
• Core Participant figures
• Support arrangements during hearings 
• Contact information

Module 4 hearings 

The Inquiry continues to hear evidence in Module 4, which examines the response of local and central government in the immediate aftermath of the fire. The Inquiry has heard from a number of Bereaved, Survivors and Residents (BSRs) and will now be calling witnesses from local and central government and other public sector bodies. It is expected that Module 4 hearings will continue until the end of May. 

The Inquiry will then move on to Module 7 in which selected expert witnesses will be invited to give further evidence.

Plan for the end of Phase 2 hearings 

It is expected that public hearings in Phase 2 will conclude in July. Following this, the Inquiry will begin the necessary preparations for the publication of the final report. This will involve a review of the evidence heard in Phase 2, including written and oral witness testimony and expert analysis. The Panel, with the support of the Inquiry’s legal team and assessors, will write the final report and formulate recommendations in light of its findings. 

As was the case with Phase 1, the formulation of recommendations will be conducted in parallel with the writing of the report, and will be done in stages. Core Participants will be invited to identify potential recommendations arising from the evidence heard in Phase 2, and to provide the Panel with information about any reforms that they have implemented since the Grenfell Tower fire. 

The Panel will also decide which expert witnesses from Phase 2 it wishes to consult when formulating the final recommendations. The Panel will decide in due course whether any additional steps, such as seminars, may be of assistance in further informing the consideration of recommendations. 

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 to attend throughout the report writing stage. The details of these sessions will be published online nearer to 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 26 April 2022, the Inquiry has disclosed 20,752 documents in Phase 1 and 298,453 in Phase 2, making a total of 319,205.

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 contact@grenfelltowerinquiry.org.uk