None of us want to think about the worst happening to a member of our family, or someone we know. But when tragedy does befall us, having a place to turn to is vital in supporting those affected. When four young boys lost their lives here a year ago, the devastation was felt throughout the local community which rallied together.
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00:00 "It was a tragic incident, it was difficult for the family, difficult for the community,
00:07 especially for those who were close to the families, for the schools and everybody, it
00:10 was very, very hard. But out of this the people came together and united in all this and supported
00:16 each other. And that's the best part of seeing a human being, that in these cases people
00:22 coming together and supporting each other."
00:24 A year ago the nation waited for news of the Babs Mill boys. After being pulled from the
00:28 lake, staff in hospitals sought to save Finn, Jack, Sam and Thomas, but despite their efforts
00:33 the boys didn't make it. Amid the grief of the families involved, the local community
00:38 and the entire country, people banded together to support one another and gathered to lay
00:42 tributes to the children lost. Hundreds descended upon the site, leaving gifts and messages
00:47 of heartache and comforts.
00:49 And as close-knit as the community is, I imagine when a tragedy like this does happen, the
00:54 effects are felt throughout the community. What was that reaction from locals at the
00:58 time?
00:59 "We got together and we just immediately jumped in to support the community. We opened
01:04 our venues for coming together for prayer, for talking, for support, whatever they needed.
01:11 We opened our hearts and our hands for whatever was necessary for the people to be there for
01:16 them, to show them that we are here for them. And especially as a church, which is at the
01:20 heart of the community, that's our role, to be at the heart of the people, to be a support
01:25 for them. And if they need the prayer, they need the counselling, they need the guidance,
01:30 they need whatever they need, we are there for them. And that's what we did last year."
01:34 Walking around Babs Mill Lake today, I've witnessed the beautiful natural environment
01:38 here, seeing friendly faces, walking dogs and feeding the ducks, enjoying this park
01:43 as they of course should. It's hard to reconcile the image of this place being the site of
01:49 such horrific circumstance. Kingshurst is home to a tight-knit community that, from
01:55 the beginning of the tragedy, came together to help with the search, assist emergency
01:59 services, pay tribute to the boys and their families and simply lend a listening ear to
02:03 anyone affected.
02:04 "It was inspiring really to see how the community pulled together just so quickly.
02:12 That was great. There were tributes in Parliament. Rishi Sunak mentioned the boys, the Prime
02:17 Minister, the Leader of the Opposition did as well. You had Aston Villa players, Blues
02:22 players were turning up to lay tributes. I think there were two vigils in the end. By
02:28 the time the second one, we went down there, our reporter, as Mita was there, those tributes
02:33 could have filled the field. They were just stretched as far as the eye could see. So
02:39 many people wanted to support the families and remember those young boys."
02:43 To this day, community leaders like Amil continue to offer their support and guidance to any
02:47 and everyone in Kingshurst and beyond who finds themselves in need of it.
02:51 "Whatever they need, our doors are open. Whatever they need, our ears are open. Whatever
02:56 they need, our hands are open to raise and be there for them. So that's what we do."
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