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Nottingham Post
Nottingham Post
National
Peter Hennessy

Covid memorial stone unveiled in Gedling as leader says we must 'never forget the tragedy'

A memorial stone has been unveiled in memory of all those in the Gedling borough who have died from Covid-19.

The stone is located in Eagle Square in Arnold and was unveiled on Thursday, March 4.

It comes after a candlelit vigil was held in the area last month to honour and remember the 280 people who had died after contracting coronavirus.

21 more people in Gedling have died since the vigil took place.

Councillor John Clarke, Leader of Gedling Borough Council, unveiled the stone alongside deputy leader, Councillor Michael Payne.

It was designed by local masons, D & M Monumental Masons and was carved and engraved with the words 'Tomorrow will be a better day', which were words spoken by the late Captain Sir Tom Moore, who had become a symbol of hope for millions of people during this pandemic.

The stone also contains an engraving that thanks NHS staff, carers and key workers for their work.

Councillor Clarke said: "This stone will be placed in Eagle Square so we never forget the terrible tragedy caused by this pandemic. So many people in our borough have been affected by Covid and we wanted to create a symbol somewhere prominent where people could pay their respects.

A view of the newly unveiled Covid memorial stone in Eagle Square, Arnold, Nottingham (Joseph Raynor/ Nottingham Post)

"We also wanted to create something that reminded people that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that one day, this will all be a distant memory. We must make sure we never forget the sacrifices our NHS have made and the toll this has taken on all of us, especially those who have lost a loved one."

Councillor Payne added: "All those who have lost a loved one to Covid-19 are in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.

"This memorial stone serves as a lasting tribute to the far too many people lost far too soon. It is also a tribute to our genius scientists, brave nurses and doctors and the scores of carers and key workers who have been there for us all throughout this incredibly challenging time.

"We also owe our NHS a tremendous debt of gratitude for the rollout of the vaccine, which is offering us all a glimmer of hope - this memorial is just one way of ensuring we never forget the selfless service and sacrifice of all those who work in our NHS.'

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