In June last year a terrible fire gutted an apartment block in London killing 72 people. Grenfell Tower housed a mixture of nationalities, some rented, some owned their apartment. Their inquests are currently being heard.
Many more people were left homeless and others who lived in the shadown of the tower had to move out. Almost all were put up in temporary housing, often in hotels, until permanent housing could be arranged. (The wait continues for many). A local mosque arranged for the survivors to use a kitchen two days a week so the women could cook food for their family. Many were homemakers before the fire and the kitchen gave them a place to go during the day, to meet with others affected and to share experiences- and family recipes.
In January this year an American woman moved to live in the area — just on the other side of Notting Hill, a couple of miles or less by road. She was involved with charitable work for women back home and she heard about the kitchen. She went along and asked if she could help. Shortly after she found herself in an apron.
She was impressed by the women’s self-empowerment and visited several times to help out; in rather the same way Michelle Obama re-connects with the groups she has taken a particular interest in. Her visits were interrupted a bit by the other things she had to do, not least preparing for her marriage this summer. On one she asked why the kitchen was only open two days a week. This was only due to lack of funds and the women would like it open all week. She made a suggestion: why not write a cook book with all their favorite family dishes. She had the connections and so…….
The receipe book is a sell-out and has received some celebrity endorsement.
Empathy and the instinct to help others in an inate human trait. It is part of our DNA; it was a vital part of the survival for those early modern humans in their small bands. It is something that can be nurtured by caring parents or beaten out, physically or psychologically, by a cruel parent, often the father, or by naked self-ambition.
Meghan had Doria; Donald had Fred. Thankfully those who do give a damn, however they act on it, are in the overwhelming majority. There are those who believe in noblesse oblige and those who believe “The Art of the Deal”. One has shown true American care (and grace); one has not.