Dylis’ London Bridge response

Dylis George (above) is one of a number of chaplains working out of London. Her patch includes Southeastern and parts of the London Underground.

One of Dylis’ stations is London Bridge, where a recent terror attack took place. Chaplain Steve Rowe, Dylis’ line manager, was requested by Liam Johnston, Railway Mission Executive Director, to attend the incident with Dylis. Liam had been contacted by Chief Inspector Tara Doyle asking for chaplaincy support for British Transport Police [BTP] officers who formed part of the response.

As BTP Chaplains, we have access inside the cordon in these incidents to support officers in any way requested. Being late in the evening, Dylis had to make a significant journey to London Bridge, where transport services had been disrupted, and most people were being ushered out rather than in.

CI Doyle also requested that we check on the wellbeing of some of the other responders, including firearms and canine units. Officers are often required to work long shifts following serious incidents, so our chaplains were out and about for the next few days seeing how they were holding up.

We were also called into the Govia Thameslink Railway offices, where staff overlooked the bridge and many witnessed the incident as it happened, some feeling quite vulnerable as shots were fired.

As Dylis says, “I consider it a massive privilege to be the ears and shoulders on which staff members have found comfort and respite in these situations.”