ABERFAN disaster survivor Jeff Edwards has said it was “a great honour and a privilege” to receive an OBE from King Charles.
Mr Edwards, who survived the 1966 tragedy as an eight-year-old boy, was honoured for his services to fellow survivors of disasters, to charity, and to the community in Aberfan.
He received the award at Windsor Castle on Tuesday.
The Aberfan disaster remains one of the darkest days in Welsh history. On Friday, October 21, 1966, a coal waste tip collapsed and engulfed Pantglas Junior School and nearby homes in the close-knit Merthyr Tydfil community.
A total of 116 children and 28 adults lost their lives.
Mr Edwards was the last child to be brought out alive from the wreckage.
Speaking after the ceremony, he said meeting the King had been “absolutely wonderful”.
He said the King recognised him straight away and recalled previous meetings, including a visit to Aberfan when he was Prince of Wales.
Mr Edwards said: “He said, ‘nice to see you again Mr Edwards,’ because I’ve met him several times before.”
He added that the King also asked after the wives’ group in Aberfan, which he said the monarch has always taken a particular interest in.
Reflecting on the moment he received the medal, Mr Edwards said it felt unreal that a boy who had once been buried in the disaster was now standing before the King.
He also spoke movingly about his memories of the day of the tragedy.
Mr Edwards recalled hearing what sounded like thunder before the avalanche struck, and waking up trapped beneath the debris.
Over the years, he has remained deeply involved in supporting survivors and bereaved families, and has worked to ensure that lessons from major tragedies are not forgotten.
He has been involved in the Hillsborough Charter, which was developed alongside people affected by Hillsborough, the Manchester Arena bombing and the Grenfell Tower fire.
The charter aims to make sure public bodies act with honesty, openness and transparency towards victims and survivors, and do not seek to shift blame or hide the truth.
Mr Edwards said it was vital that those who survive major disasters receive proper support to help them cope with trauma.
He has long used his own experience of Aberfan to campaign for better treatment, understanding and care for those caught up in tragedy.
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