Appeal For Ashford Police Training Centre Staff To Come Forward Following Asbestos-Related Death Of Former Cleaner
The family of a former cleaner at the Ashford Police Training Centre are looking to get in touch with her former colleagues after her death from mesothelioma – a type of cancer linked to asbestos exposure.
The former part-time cleaner, whose identity her family wish to keep anonymous, worked at the Police College in Kennington, Ashford, from the 1980s until its closure in the 2000s. She sadly passed away in 2022 from mesothelioma.
The Police College was the primary training centre for recruits from forces, in the South East of England, from the 1970s until its closure. The College was previously known as Grosvenor Hall before it became a Police training college. Since its closure in the 2000s, the building has been converted into an educational activity centre.
As part of her duties, the former cleaner regularly dusted the ceilings in the College with a feather duster and used a broom to remove cobwebs. The ceilings in some parts of the College are believed to have contained asbestos fibres, with specialist asbestos removal companies removing ceiling tiles on at least one occasion.
Her family are appealing to get in touch with any of her former colleagues, or their families, who can comment on the presence of asbestos at the College. They have instructed asbestos disease legal specialists, Hodge Jones & Allen, to help in their search.
Lorna Webster, Partner at Hodge Jones & Allen said: “Mesothelioma is a terrible disease that only becomes apparent decades after the initial exposure to asbestos fibres. Although employers have long been aware of the dangers of asbestos, many did not do enough to protect their staff against those dangers. Whilst its use has been banned since 1999, many workplaces still contain asbestos materials, and sadly, we continue to see people falling ill with diseases such as mesothelioma.
“In cases like this, witnesses are crucial in the family’s search for justice. We hope that someone reading will have information about asbestos materials at the Police College and be willing to come forward to help the family left behind in their quest for answers.”
If you or a family member feel you may be able to assist the family with their search for former colleagues, please get in touch with Lorna Webster at Hodge Jones & Allen on 0207 874 8445 or email lwebster@hja.net