As the nation prepares to mark one year since being asked to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives, Halton Borough Council has set out how it will remember local lives lost during the Covid pandemic and those who have worked so hard to keep us safe.
Two special memorial gardens for Runcorn Cemetery and Victoria Park, Widnes, have been commissioned by the Council to offer local people a permanent space where they can pause for reflection and lay floral tributes if they wish.
The centrepiece of each garden will be a memorial stone to commemorate those who lost their lives during the pandemic, and to give thanks to the many people who have worked tirelessly to support the community over the past year.
The stones have already been unveiled by Mayor of Halton, Cllr Margaret Horabin, who said: “Everyone has, in some way, been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. The gardens will provide somewhere for people to reflect and remember those they have lost, but also to take a moment to be thankful for what we have and to look forward to the future with hope.
“They will also act as a way of paying tribute to those working in the NHS, Social Care services and all those key workers who have done so much for us.”
In addition to the memorial gardens, a virtual book of remembrance has been opened – this can be found at www.halton.gov.uk/covidremembrance
Here, local people can express their thoughts on loved ones they have lost or share their thanks to an individual, group, or organisation that has made a difference to their life during the pandemic.
The book will remain open for 12 months and then be sealed as a record of this extraordinary period of time in our history.
On 23 March, the anniversary of the first national lockdown, the Council will pay its respects by flying flags at half-mast and, in the evening, Halton will join others across the country in lighting buildings and landmarks, including the Mersey Gateway, in yellow as part of the national day of reflection.