We survived the Aberfan disaster but were told to never talk about it again
Janett Bickley, a survivor of the 1966 Aberfan disaster, shares her experience of living through the tragedy that killed 116 children. She reflects on the long-term psychological impact and the culture of silence that prevented survivors from discussing the event for decades.
Why it matters
It sheds light on the historical trauma of the Aberfan disaster and the importance of addressing collective grief and mental health in communities.
Image caption, Janett was the only child on her street to return home from school on the day of the disaster
Janett Bickley almost stayed home from school on the morning of 21 October 1966.
The eight-year-old had recently recovered from pneumonia, but she was determined to go in for the last day before half-term.
Shortly after taking her seat at Pantglas Junior School, Janett was buried beneath tonnes of coal slurry from a collapsing tip. It engulfed the classrooms and killed 144 people, including 116 children.
Sixty years later, Janett is one of the many survivors of the Aberfan disaster whose lives were shaped by what they experienced.
"I've always wanted to do something to pay back to the community because I think I owed something to the community, because I lived," she said.
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