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[Stellajane]

Just wondering how many of our older members remember this terrible disaster?  I was 11 at the time it happened.  I watched the TV prog last night about the Young Wives group who have met every week for 50 years. They're now a group of women mostly in their 70s and 80s with a few in their 90s and the youngest 61 who was a sister of a girl who lost her life. They were laughing about having to drop the 'Young' from their title as they all now elderly. Most were in their mid 30s when it happened.

I found it very emotional to watch but it left me with a uplifted feeling of how strong and supportive women can be, also how important community is and how beneficial it is to connect with ones neighbours.

[Tinkerbell]

I saw the programme, but I was 3 when the disaster happened, although on a coach trip as a child we went past the graves...still can picture that.
I thought that the weekly meetings probably saved some of them from depression...the lady who lost her only child was suicidal until she went to the group.
How you ever get past such a loss I don't know, I suppose you just learn to live with it.
Shocking that the coal board had the slag heap on a spring and people had voiced their concerns.

[Tinkerbell]

Just to add that we were not on a visit to see the graves, it was a trip to some caves.

[cubagirl]

Didn't watch, but remember it well. Came home from school to see it on the news. I was 10. So, so sad.

[bramble]

It was the 9/11 of its time. Most folk I think remember the pictures. One of the worst disaster in living memory along with Hillsborough.

[Scampi]

I wasn't born until 1968, but I've heard, seen and read a lot about Aberfan over the years and it's heartbreaking.

Not many years ago, a large slap heap in South Yorkshire slipped (ripped up a railway line) - it was found that the thing was unstable as its base was oil drums and they'd rusted away!  When we first heard about the heap moving (I work for the train operator whose services were worst affected, so we heard about it when it had only moved a very small amount), then heard the reason why it was moving, my blood ran cold - all I could think about was Aberfan. 

[Pennyfarthing]

I remember it vividly. Our house just fell silent as the news came on and of course it was all in black and white.  The black and white pictures in the papers the next day were equally heartbreaking.  I think it was more shocking than many other tragedies because so many people (mainly children) were killed from one tiny community.  In those days you knew nothing until the news came on and what a shock it was.

Not long after the tragedy there was a lot of fundraising to help the people affected and it was decided to publish a book of children's poems from all over the country about Aberfan and my poem was chosen.  Local tv came to film me at our school reading the poem.  My Mum still has the book. It has a pale blue cover to represent forget-me-nots.

[Katejo]

I saw the programme, but I was 3 when the disaster happened, although on a coach trip as a child we went past the graves...still can picture that.
I thought that the weekly meetings probably saved some of them from depression...the lady who lost her only child was suicidal until she went to the group.
How you ever get past such a loss I don't know, I suppose you just learn to live with it.
Shocking that the coal board had the slag heap on a spring and people had voiced their concerns.

I was also 3 then so don't remember it either but I have watched a programme about it in the past. Terrible event.

[carina]

I was 21 and the mother of three young children when this disaster happened.
I remember it well and have never forgotten.
That was the the first time I had ever questioned my belief in God!!

[CLKD]

We heard it on the radio.  Mum couldn't get over the fact that the Reporter was crying, something she had never heard  B4.  I can't understand 'survivor guilt' though, in the interviews over the years one child who was home ill, hasn't got rid of the guilt ……  . 

I remember the Queen going on a visit too.  Apparently Max Boyce has a programme this week, Radio 2 I think.

[Two hoots]

I was 5 years old when it happened so I don't remember it. Every time I hear the details I am moved to tears, I just cannot imagine the horror those poor families saw, the detail that always upsets me is it was the last day of term 

[Scampi]

I saw a short item about Aberfan on the BBC breakfast news this morning - they spoke to a lady who was a teacher at the school and to another who lost her daughter - heartbreaking.  I'm not ashamed to say I cried, hearing their words and seeing the emotion that is obviously still so raw.

[Pennyfarthing]

It brought it all back this morning when they showed black and white footage on TV.  Back in Those days the TV only went on in our house for the evening news.  We had heard it in the radio earlier in the day I believe but the first we actually saw would have been on the teatime news.