Local heroes who rose to Keyham occasion

It has only been a few days since Plymouth was able to give a collective sigh of relief as the Keyham bomb was finally towed out to sea and detonated by brave souls from the Army - but the quiet heroism of others should not go unnoticed, either. Here, we report on the roles of personnel from Plymouth Community Homes, Livewell Southwest and Dartmoor Search and Rescue

TEAMS from Plymouth Community Homes (PCH) worked day and night to ensure Keyham residents were looked after, fed and kept hopeful during a time of intense uncertainty during last week's bomb disposal drama. Their 'behind-the-scenes' response has won widespread praise from the city.

They jumped into action when asked to make The Beacon, a community hub in North Prospect, available as the official rest centre for the first evacuated residents and some 150 people visited that first night.

Staff helped PCC workers find temporary accommodation for residents in local hotels, and supported residents to source medication, to help with health and mobility issues, and to provide pets with food and water.

When the evacuation cordon was extended, and more PCH residents were asked to leave their homes, the official rest centre moved to the Life Centre, where PCH staff continued to support residents. To ensure that the official rest centre was well equipped for residents who had been evacuated from their homes, the social housing landlord organised furniture, such as tables and chairs, from Plumer House, its head office in Crownhill, to be delivered to the Life Centre.