The Paddington Survivors Group was set up in the months following the terrible crash at Ladbroke Grove, near Paddington.
The group was formed by Paddington Survivor Pam Warren with the intention of providing support for other survivors and their partners. However the group became better known for the campaigning stance it took on rail safety.
For details of the previous activity of the group, please check out the old site of the group. Paddington Campaigns.
As time passed after the crash, the survivors slowly began to recover from their traumas. Rail safety was again highlighted after the Hatfield and Potters Bar crashes, and the industry began to get its act into order.
There is no doubt that travelling by rail is now safer than it was at the end of the 1990's.
Everyone involved in the crash had went through the same experience, but each person had a unique perspective on it. This meant that for every one of them there was a different set of issues.
However there are common threads that occur in every disaster and many survivors found similar recovery mechanisms to deal with the enormity of what they had been through. Receiving treatment, dealing with work and relationship problems, lodging a claim for compensation - all the things that become important after a disaster.
One expression heard often amongst survivors was "I wish I had known that". There are not many places to turn to to look for advice and even if there are it is not always possible to filter out those offers of help that have ulterior motives.
However as time moves on the experience is gradually forgotten. This website is here to record that experience to help all others affected by disasters.