Published Monday 26 October 2020 at 9:43
A memorial bench has been installed in a Darwen beauty spot to remember all those who have lost their lives during the Coronavirus pandemic.
The bench now sits by the fountain opposite the visitor centre in Sunnyhurst Woods – a spot which is accessible for all to visit.
The idea for the bench came from Pauline Mcloughlin, an NHS nurse, after she lost her mum Sheila to the virus in May.
Pauline, who lives in the town, wanted to create a place where she, and many others affected by the virus, could go to reflect and remember loved ones.
She began a petition with the aim to install local memorials right throughout the country.
The bench was funded by Darwen Town Council and was designed by Pauline with the help of Darwen-based WEC Engineering who also manufactured it.
Darwen Councillor Brian Taylor, who is the Council’s Assistant Executive member for Health and Adult Social Care, helped to find a spot for the memorial with the support of the Friends of Sunnyhurst Woods and arranged for it to be installed by the Council, who covered the costs.
The bench was officially unveiled on Saturday by Pauline who was joined by the Mayor of Darwen Town Council, Lilian Salton, Councillor Brian Taylor and the Council’s Director of Public Health, Professor Dominic Harrison.
Pauline, 56, said:
In some way everyone’s been affected by the virus. Some have lost loved ones, some have lost friends. Many have lost their jobs and businesses have been hurt.
I wanted to create somewhere that anyone could go to. Whether you have lost someone or whether your life has been affected by Covid in other ways.
Both my mum and my sister were taken into hospital in May and both tested positive for Coronavirus the following day.
My mum lost her fight against Covid on May 6 aged 81.
The restrictions meant that we could not hold the funeral that we wanted. We could not even dress her in the clothes she wanted.
But we were not alone. Thousands of families will have gone through a similar experience.
This is why we all need to pull together and support each other during this time. The current restrictions make it difficult to connect with others in person when we need it the most.
The memorial bench will stand as a safe place for anyone to take some time for themselves, to reflect on these strange times, and anyone who has been affected by the Coronavirus.
Councillor Brian Taylor said:
So many families have been affected by the Coronavirus and current restrictions have only added to the grief that they are experiencing. It is only right that we have somewhere to remember those that have been lost, and those who are on the frontline.
The bench is a peaceful place where those who have been affected by the Coronavirus can come to reflect. I hope the tree beside the bench becomes a place where cards and flowers can be placed in memory of loved ones.