30Th Anniversary Of Montserrat’S Soufrière Hills Volcano Eruption To Be Marked With Special Commemorative Service In Westminster

On Sunday 29 June, a special service to mark the 30th anniversary of the eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano on the Caribbean island of Montserrat will be held at Methodist Central Hall, Westminster.

Guests invited to the service include members of the Royal Family, MPs, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, plus volcanologists, scientists, conservationists, clergy, Montserratian business leaders, and members of the UK-based Montserratian community. Families of the 18 individuals who tragically lost their lives will also be in special attendance.

The eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano took place on 18 June 1995 after years of being dormant. The event proved to be catastrophic. It totally transformed the island and displaced thousands.

Much of southern Montserrat became uninhabitable following the eruption, and tragically 18 people lost their lives during the disaster. Over the following years, the situation worsened, and 18,000 Montserratians had to be evacuated. Around 12,000 Montserratians came to Britain, while others resettled in the United States, Canada, and neighbouring Caribbean islands.

The commemorative service being held at Methodist Central Hall Westminster will reflect on the profound loss and celebrate the resilience of Montserratians at home and abroad. The service will feature tributes, cultural performances, and reflections on a community’s journey through tragedy to renewal.

Participants in the service will include:

The world-famous London Community Gospel Choir, Liturgical dance group God’s Anointed Ministries and the Montserrat UK Anniversary Choir, formed especially for this event. There will also be poetry from Alliouagana Pearl and Montserratian minister Reverend Dr Ruthlyn Bradshaw, will preach the sermon.

A poignant segment of the commemorative service will pay tribute to those who lost their lives, the families they left behind, and the children whose lives were deeply disrupted.

The service will take place one week after Windrush Day, so recognition will also be given to the Windrush Generation and wider Caribbean communities in the UK, whose swift response and support were instrumental in relief and resettlement efforts.

Kei-Retta Farell, the representative for the Montserratian Government in the UK stated, “This commemoration service aims to be a celebration of strength, community, and the bonds that connect us as Montserratians and beyond. It will also reflect and remember the lives that were lost following the eruption in 1995.”

“We hope that people from the wider community will join with the Montserratian community, for what promises to be a memorable event where we honour our past, recognise those who stood with us, and look ahead to the future with renewed hope.”