On Air Now
Heart Breakfast with Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden 6:30am - 10am
How did Shaughna Phillips help with Grenfell? Love Island star praised for being in fire safety team
16 January 2020, 13:29
The Democratic Services Officer has been praised for helping the victims of the Grenfell disaster.
Shaughna Phillips has quickly become one of the Love Island favourites thanks to her upfront nature and hilarious one liners.
But now the 25-year-old has scored even more brownie points with viewers, after it was revealed she helped with the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower fire in her role as a Democratic Services Officer.
One person wrote on Twitter: "Shaughna worked to make sure council buildings have fire safe doors 2 weeks after Grenfell, we have no choice but to stan."
While a second added: "So you're telling me Shaughna worked in support after Grenfell and they haven't just handed over the 50k yet #LoveIsland."
So, how did Shaughna Phillips help with Grenfell? Here's everything you need to know...
How did Shaughna Phillips help with Grenfell?
The Grenfell tragedy struck in June 2017 when a fire broke out in a 24-storey block of flats in North Kensington, killing 72 people.
Following the disaster, Shaugna is said to have helped ensure that all the front doors in council tenants' properties were either fire-safe or refitted.
In an interview with press in South Africa before entering the villa, she described the experience working for Lambeth council in the wake of Grenfell as "overwhelming".
According to The Sun, she said: "To begin with, it was overwhelming.
"But because you’re doing something good, that if I went home and there was a few more fire safe doors that had been installed, it was like, ‘good, we’re getting there’.
"It was hitting the ground running as there was so much to do, so it was like a project and I loved, loved, loved it."
Explaining the reason she had to leave her job, the star continued: "I had to leave because you get an allowance from ITV, so I couldn’t be on unpaid leave there and be getting money from somewhere else."
She then added "But my manager has said the door is open if I do want to go back, but said I won’t need to. I was like, ‘listen, I need that door open, I need that in writing’.”
Previous Islanders such as Zara McDermott and Camilla Thurlow also worked in politics prior to joining the ITV2 dating show.
While Zara was a former government adviser who worked for the Department of Education, Camilla worked in Explosive Ordnance Disposal, which saw her safely detonate bombs that have been left in zones of conflict.
