Loved ones lost during the Coronavirus pandemic were remembered during a special service at Sunderland Minster.
The Minster hosted a service for the North East on Sunday 9 March, which was the National Covid-19 Day of Reflection – five years on from the start of the pandemic.
Bereaved individuals and families were joined by clergy and local dignitaries, while the Blue Light Choir, made up of emergency services personnel, performed during the moving ceremony.
“It was very well attended and there was a real need for it,” said the Revd Canon Clare MacLaren, Canon Provost of Sunderland Minster. “Most of the world has tried to move on from the pandemic but many people lost loved ones and they will never be forgotten. This was an opportunity to remember them together. It was very emotional.”
Photos of those lost to the virus were projected onto a screen, while yellow and blue ribbons were tied to railings outside the Minster in memory of loved ones.
The service was also an opportunity to thank the people who cared for those in need during the pandemic, including family members and carers, volunteers who prepared and delivered food, and NHS staff who worked tirelessly in unprecedented circumstances.
Among those present at the service was Sunderland’s Deputy Mayor, Ehthesham Haque, and Lewis Atkinson, the Labour MP for Sunderland Central.
The event, which was organised by members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group and Sunderland Interfaith Forum, was funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.