Testimonials

“I first heard about PL9 through our church where I was invited to participate in group meetings related to community engagement. The meetings focused on projects such as Serious Youth Violence, work of the Synergy Network, the Clocktower project, Community Champions and also stop-and-search in collaboration with Bexleyheath Police.

The meetings included useful information-sharing and open discussion panels which I found very interesting. They gave me good insight into safety matters within our community, but also a wider view of the current policy framework.

Now I feel so much more aware and equipped to act appropriately when it comes to key issues in my neighbourhood.

Thank you PL9!

Dorota M.

I first met Juliet and PL9 when I was a police officer working with the Bexleyheath Safer Neighbourhood team.

It was clear in an instant that Juliet had the biggest heart for young people. In return, the young people of PL9 had the greatest respect for Auntie Juliet.

She inspires you to be the best version of yourself – no matter what your age. She enables you to make and take opportunities in life. You will never have a stronger supporter or greater encourager in a human being than Juliet.

Her young people are now men and women who will go on to change the world.

I am proud to call Juliet my friend – an active role model in how to live faithfully and make every moment count for good (and she has had more than her fair share of adversity).

This is the culture that she has nurtured within PL9 – a group that supports and enhances everything good within a community.

Rachel B.

My awareness of PL9 came after reading two of Juliet’s books and meeting her in person in the early stages of my grief and bereavement of the death of my wife, and soul mate of 37 years.

Juliet’s experience of losing her son made her a very sensitive and compassionate person to those struggling and suffering and she is a very understanding lady always ready and willing to help.

Over the years of knowing her, I admire her great gift of listening to people, especially young people.

As a result, Juliet has been a great coach and mentor to the youth of today

The young people of PL9 love and respect her a lot, always calling her auntie.

“PL9 has a proud record of very successful university graduates who are doing some great things in their various communities campaigning and raising awareness about anything that affect young people. I attended one of their community engagement meetings and came out inspired to get involved in my community

Glad to know PL9, Juliet and her boys.

James T.

I was introduced to PL9 by Juliet Lamin from Bexleyheath Christian Life Centre (my local church), who spearheaded the creation of the group and naming it as a tribute to her late son Phillip. There has been a need for closer relations between the Police and the community in most boroughs, and Juliet has managed to create vital improved links between the two, with local Community Monitoring Groups such as this one allowing close scrutiny of Police Stop and Search through body-worn video footage, and thus making them more accountable for their actions. Such groups will also allow any concerns or issues from the community to be ‘fed back’ to the named Police Stop and Search lead and further links formed with The Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC). Given the need for greater representation from BAME members I have become more involved in PL9 and have since been named Chair of CMG – a role I am both pleased and honoured to take forward.

Paul O.

In Juliet’s eagerness and determination to get her PL9 message across into the community, I was able to help her prepare for both charity venues at Welling in 2016 and Bournemouth in 2018. I believe Juliet’s endeavour to honour Philip’s legacy is gaining momentum, and many young people’s lives at schools and colleges are being saved through her intervention. May Juliet’s efforts bring about the change needed by government legislation that is so urgently required.

Peter S.

February 2013, Juliet Lamin lost her only son, suddenly and tragically sudden cardiac arrest [SCA]. Philip was playing football after school when he collapsed and passed away. Philip was 16 years of age and had no previously diagnosed heart conditions.

The days that followed were like no other we had ever encountered. Juliet visited the Academy daily. Despite her own devastating grief, she came every day with dignity and pride to support not only Philip’s friends but also the staff who were facing a huge loss. Her overwhelming aim was to ensure that we were okay. Despite her own obvious grief, she was determined to support anyone she could in anyway.

Juliet’s last promise to her son was that she would look after his friends, something she has taken to much wider proportions than anyone could envisage at that time.

Shortly after Philip passed away, Juliet set up a youth group, launched in the weeks following his death, for his friends and community. PL9 was born, based in Bexley. Throughout this period, Juliet has put her own grief, anguish and sorrow to one side and been there for all her son’s friends who have been finding it difficult to process what really happened on the 5^th of February. She opened her home to all the children, and her house became a place for her son’s friends to revise for their exams, as her desire to help Philip’s friends remained strong.

Juliet may have lost her only child, but she has now became a ‘mum’ to over four hundred 15 to 19 years-olds.

PL9

PL9 is an open forum for 15 to 19-year-old teenagers in memory of Philip. A place where they can all be together and talk about issues pertaining to teenagers in a friendly, open environment. Juliet and a group of street Pastors oversee the forum. Issues discussed include personal safety, wellbeing, future goals and many other current issues.

Nobody has ever had such a profound effect on Bexleyheath Academy the way Juliet Lamin has. Since Philip passed away in February, her thoughtful and tireless campaigning to raise awareness of sudden cardiac arrest in our youth has been incredible. Her dignity and determination is humbling to all who meet her. A generation will grow up with Juliet as a guide and mentor, a mother and a fighter. Juliet is the embodiment of the fight against the injustice to parents and friends who have lost a young person at the prime of their life to a terrible, unpredictable tragedy.

The answer to sudden cardiac arrest lies in three forms:

Cardiac Screening
the provision of defibrillators in all public place
Juliet Lamin

Juliet has embraced these resolutions and is so determined that, in the 7 months since Philip passed away, she has worked determinedly to raise the awareness of the wider population about this silent Killer, and more significantly, to realize her dream and lasting legacy in Philip’s name—a defibrillator in every secondary school in the Borough of Bexley.

Juliet has been tirelessly writing to and meeting with anyone she believes can support her campaign to raise awareness. She has been invited on separate occasions to have lunch with the Mayors of Bexley and Greenwich, where she took the opportunity to apprise them of her campaign and how she hopes to realize its fruition.

In addition, in the same very short space of time Juliet has:

Assisted in the organization of ‘Woolwich Youth Together Community Cohesion’ – an event attended by over 3000 young people
Taken part in the ‘Flatline’ documentary to raise national awareness of sudden cardiac arrest, where she spoke frankly about the pain and loss of her only son and called for the government to fund screening for all young people aged 14-35
Started on journey of fundraising, commencing with a memorial football match, which raised sufficient funds for Bexleyheath Academy to undertake 2 full days of Cardiac Screening in February 2014
Acquired, through campaigning, two defibrillators for Bexleyheath Academy
Participated in a 12-mile walk around London for C. R. Y (Cardiac Risk in the Young) to raise funds and awareness

Tragically, exactly four months to the day of Philip’s death, Bexleyheath Academy suffered the loss of another young people. Reeling from the shock, the very first thing Juliet did was to call the school to check that we were okay. Juliet appeared at the Academy the following day to support those who had supported her, and for the following two weeks supported them in whatever way she could. Guiding, talking, listening and keeping them focused on their exams. Once again Juliet’s resilience came to the fore, and her overwhelming urge to put her pain and loss to one side and support others was evident. When asked why, her reply was simple:

‘It is very challenging for me, but I have to be strong for them. I have just got to carry them through because they need me to support them. I feel privileged that they trust me and are able to talk to me.’

Juliet Lamin says she will focus the rest of her life on a foundation in Philip’s name to raise awareness of the dangers of sudden cardiac arrest, emphasizing how it can be prevented, and also, to put in place a defibrillator for every secondary school in Bexley Borough.

She said, ‘I want to minimize the deaths of young people full of potential. I wouldn’t want any other mother to go through what I have. Not having a chance to say goodbye is just too much.’

Juliet has since raised, through various channels, sufficient funds to purchase another defibrillator and is starting, slowly but surely, through commitment and dedication to realize her dream of placing a defibrillator in every secondary school in the Borough of Bexley. Her actions, in those dark days following Philip’s untimely death, are outstanding. They are a phenomenal achievement for someone who has lost so much.

Through Juliet Lamin’s selflessness, determination and courage, the youth of the borough stand an increased chance of survival, should the unthinkable ever happen again. Her determination that schools should have correct equipment and training to save a life and prevent another family and community feeling her pain is beginning to emerge into reality.

We at Bexleyheath Academy believe Juliet Lamin has displayed remarkable determination and courage, giving unselfishly of her time, voluntarily and in good grace, to support the youth within the Borough of Bexley. As such she undoubtedly deserves recognition for the work she has undertaken to date, and for her outstanding contribution to our future generation.

Bexleyheath Academy headteacher/Staff

I had the distinct pleasure of working with PL9 and the wonderful Juliet when we delivered a stop and search information programme. The project was delivered via the Bexley Community Partnership and in collaboration with Police in Bexley.

PL9 and the work they do is critical to ensuring that young people are mentored, guided and supported. PL9 provides a supportive family group that is sometimes missing in many people’s lives. Even if a home background is solid, PL9 also offers peer to peer support which is vital to making sure that every young person under their umbrella is heard and valued. Put simply, all the young people support one another. Of equal importance is the willingness of PL9 to share their knowledge and life experience with others to increase cohesion and effective engagement with Youth.

Juliet does an amazing job in looking after and encouraging friendships across groups and differing ages to connect young people not only to statutory and established organisations, but intergenerationally. This helps us all to share and value cultural differences as well as the challenges and changing aspirations that face our young people today.

PL9 have my heart as in everything they do, they aim to create a oneness with the whole community. The young people themselves see Juliet as a Mother figure and a Queen amongst them. Their love for her if unshakable and so it should be as the foundation of PL9 is rock solid through her leadership and direction.

I hope they continue in their wonderful work for a very long time.

Sharon Haydon