Trust to join Coventry City Council in Covid-19 Day of Reflection

Coventry is marking the Covid-19 National Day of Reflection on Sunday 9th March with a large pavement artwork, placed inside the Cathedral Ruins.

It will offer members of the public the opportunity to spend a moment of reflection on the impact of the pandemic on their families, the city, nationally and its devastating effect across the world.

The artwork will provide a beautiful, quiet space for private thoughts and shared experiences.

The installation will be unveiled by Coventry City Council and other invited guests, including representatives from University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire (UHCW) NHS Trust, in the ruins of Coventry Cathedral.

Deputy Leader of Coventry City Council, Cllr Abdul Salam Khan, said: “The pandemic affected all communities and residents and, as we always do in this city, we all stood together to support those who suffered at this challenging time.

“As a city we came together to reach out in any way we could to support vulnerable members of our community and anyone who needed help. I’m proud that the city played a leading role in the rollout of the vaccines and the hope and support it provided to people during such a momentous time.”

UHCW NHS Trust was awarded the Freedom of the City by the council in July 2022 as a thank you for the efforts of its staff in supporting Coventry through the pandemic, including delivering the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine in December 2020.

Later in the day, Coventry Cathedral will be conducting a themed Evensong at 4pm.

People are invited to:

• remember and commemorate those who lost their lives since the pandemic began
• reflect on the sacrifices made by many, and on the impact of the pandemic on us all
• pay tribute to the work of health and social care staff, frontline workers and researchers
• appreciate those who volunteered and showed acts of kindness during this unprecedented time

The pavement artwork will be in place for one day with the Cathedral Ruins being open from 10am to 4pm.

Local street artist, Katie O, has been commissioned to produce the artwork which will be secular and reflect the human experience of loss and the city’s role in tackling the pandemic.

She said: "I’m grateful for the opportunity to mark this important day. I hope the artwork speaks to people who lost loved ones, who struggled mentally, and physically, and reminds us we are united through our care and love for others."