‘This is not a community trapped in the past – it has endured and rebuilt’published at 14:36 BST 21 October
14:36 BST 21 October
Tony Brown and Huw Thomas
BBC Wales
We’ve worked on the story of
the Aberfan disaster many times before, including the 50th anniversary in 2016.
But returning for the 60th anniversary felt different.
Aberfan is not just a
story in Welsh history, it’s a defining moment that continues to shape lives
today.
With every year that passes, there is a greater urgency to record
memories before they are lost and to ensure future generations understand what
happened here.
Spending time in the village, we were reminded how deeply the disaster still resonates.
The tip slide robbed
Aberfan of half a generation of children and teachers, while the fight for
justice left many families feeling betrayed by those in power.
Sixty years on,
the emotions remain raw. For many people, the disaster is not history, it is
something they still live with every day.
What stayed with us most was
that this is not a community trapped in the past.
While Aberfan will never
forget the children who died, it is also a community that has endured and
rebuilt.
We met extraordinary people
who have spent 60 years carrying its legacy forward.
The responsibility to remember
remains as strong as ever, and we feel privileged that so many people trusted us
to help tell that story.