Shrewsbury in mourning as community throws 'protective shield' around tragic teenagers' families
Residents of Shrewsbury remained in mourning as they came to terms with the tragic loss of four teenagers from the town.
From Oxon, where the families call home, to the college where they were studying for their A-Levels and to Meole Brace where they went to secondary school, the town has been touched by grief.
The vicar of the church in Oxon was throwing a "protective shield" around the families of Jevon Hirst, Wilf Fitchett, Harvey Owen and Hugo Morris who were found dead in a car off the A4085 at Garreg, near Tremado, in what North Wales Police has said appears to have been a tragic accident.
Rev Charlotte Gompertz, vicar of Oxon Parish Church, said she knows some of the families well enough to be able to chat to them in the street.
In her role as a shield, she found herself at the centre of a media blitz, but that, she said, is nothing to what the families of the boys are going through.
Charlotte said: "I think that I can provide a protective shield for the families until they are ready to face the world.
"For the rest of the community, the church is a place where they can come and be safe, and grieve at this moment in time.
"I am not a random stranger to the families so I hope that can be a help for them."
She added that the ties of community linking it to the boys and their families is through the primary school, everyone growing up and knowing each other.
She recalled the first she heard of the unfolding tragedy on Tuesday was when someone pointed out a police Facebook post.
"For any of us parents it's a punch in the stomach. The first thing I did was ring my son Noah, who is 21," she said.
"As parents our biggest fear is that this will happen to our own children, so we try to wrap them in cotton wool.
"This is a parents' worst nightmare and how you get over that - I don't know if you do."
People in the town have also spoken of the effect on young people, the friends of the four boys, who have now seen deaths so close to hand.
Reverends Camilla Veitch and Mark Rodgers, at Shrewsbury United Reformed Church, opposite Shrewsbury College's English Bridge campus, opened their doors to provide a welcoming place for students. They have only been in post since August but have seen their share of tragedy in the student community.
Rev Rodgers said: "This is again devastating for the college community. Since we have been here there have been six student deaths in total.
"What these young people have been going through, on top of Covid, now experiencing this, it is devastating for them.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with them.
"To experience death at such a young age is just awful for them. All we can do is offer our space and time to find the strength to move forward at this time in their lives."
Shrewsbury Colleges Group is also supporting the students with a statement saying yesterday that they are "working directly with students and staff who are affected by the terrible accident and have put in place a range of support measures for all of our community."
In a moving tribute at Shrewsbury Abbey, also close to the English Bridge college campus, 10 young men lay flowers and paid their respects to their college contemporaries in a moving tribute.
Steve Swinden, parish administrator at Shrewsbury Abbey, said: "In the first hour we had over 30 people in, mostly college students, coming in small groups.
"Ten young men came in, all contemporaries of the boys. They laid flowers at the altar and stood in silence.
"It was very moving, quiet and respectful. These young people are examples to us all in the way they have conducted themselves.
"It's a close, tight-knit community and unlike any other place in the country for its bonds and atmosphere. It's a 'big village' which is usually full of happy people. But this will take a long time for people to get over.
"We will do our best to offer this church as a place of solace."
In Meole Brace, where the four teenagers all went to school, it was the only subject for pupils as they made their way to the sprawling campus.
And in the wider community of Meole Brace, Holy Trinity Church opened its doors to provide a quiet place of sanctuary for people to think and talk and pray. An inner sanctum was created in the Trinity Centre.
Vicar of Meole Brace, Phil Cansdale, said: "There has been a remarkable outpouring of grief in Shrewsbury and north Wales. During the day we were longing for the best news but during the day our hopes of the best outcome came crashing down.
"Trinity Church is the nearest church to the secondary school and we have strong links with Meole Brace School. We wanted to create a safe space and time for people to remember.
"Ten minutes after the church opened its doors and there are already 15 people here in silent reflection, some of whom are contemporaries of the four young lads.
"We are providing space and time for people to come together and remember, and just to be."
From the reddened eyes and looks on the faces of those who were coming and going, it was all much too raw for them to speak to the press.
Local councillor Bernie Bentick said: "As a father I was shocked and deeply saddened to hear of this tragic and unexpected loss of four young lives and I would like to convey sincere condolences from myself and the Meole community to the grieving families and friends of Jevon, Harvey, Wilf and Hugo."
The town as a whole has also paid tribute to the boys and their families by postponing Wednesday night's Christmas lights switch-on - the first day of mourning in the county town.
