20 August,2011 04:02 AM IST | | Agencies
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge yesterday visited a community centre near the spot where three men were killed during last week's riots. The couple met the families of the men and chatted to residents and business owners at Summerfield Community Centre in Winson Green, Birmingham. They also spoke to emergency services staff.
Concerned: William and Kate were greeted outside the Summerfield
Community Centre by Paul Sabapathy, Lord Lieutenant of the West
Midlands. Pic/Getty Images
The centre is a short distance from Dudley Road where Haroon Jahan (21) and brothers Shazad Ali (30) and Abdul Musavir (31) were hit by a car as they tried to protect shops and homes from looters. The three were buried on Thursday after an open air funeral service attended by more than 20,000 mourners.
Four men are currently in custody charged with their murders. The duke and duchess began their visit with a 15-minute private meeting with the parents of the dead men. They then moved into the centre's sports hall to meet members of the emergency services and local dignitaries.
The couple were greeted outside the community centre by Paul Sabapathy, lord lieutenant of the West Midlands, councillor Anita Ward, the lord mayor of Birmingham, and Chris Sims, chief constable of West Midlands police. Jahan's father, Tariq, has been praised for his comments calling for calm and unity amongst the community following the men's deaths.
'Thank you'
Mandy Sankey, nurse manager at Birmingham Children's Hospital, said the royal couple wanted to thank people for their hard work during the disorder. She said, "William said, 'we're sure you have already heard how grateful we are but we wanted to come here to say thank you in person'. They seemed genuinely interested in how we dealt with it."
