COVID-19 - Day of Reflection
Published: 4 March 2025
Redbridge Council is hosting a special event this weekend in Valentines Park for people to come and pay their respects as part of the COVID-19 Day of Reflection.
To mark the fifth anniversary of the pandemic, the Government announced that a COVID-19 Day of Reflection will take place on Sunday, 9 March 2025, to remember the pandemic and its impact on communities across the UK. The event will take place in Valentines Park on Sunday from 10am to 11.30am.
Everyone is warmly invited to attend the event. It's a chance for us all to remember and reflect on this unique period of our history and our own experiences. The day will be an opportunity for us all to remember and commemorate those who lost their lives during the pandemic, reflect on the sacrifices made, and the impact on our daily lives pay tribute to the work of health and social care staff, frontline workers, our emergency services, and all those who volunteered and showed acts of kindness during this unprecedented time.
Please see the running order below:
- 10am - welcome – Councillor Kam Rai, Leader of Redbridge Council
- 10.15am - wreath laying - Councillor Sheila Bain Mayor, Councillor Kam Rai
- 10:20am - contributions - Jas Athwal MP (Ilford South), Wes Streeting MP (Ilford North) and Dr Mehta, local GP and Clinical Director, Place-Based Partnership: Redbridge, NHS North East London
- 10:35am - memorial conclusion - Mayor, Councillor Sheila Bain
- 10:40am -10:45am - remembrance - flowers/memorial messages. The mayor will invite attendees to lay flowers / write messages on stones should they wish.
- 10:45am –11:30am - light refreshments (Valentines Café/near playground)
The event will take place in Valentines Park at the COVID Memorial Garden, next to the Bandstand. The full address is Cranbrook Rd, Ilford IG1 4UD.
