News Trees planted in Maidstone as part of Covid-19 Day of Reflection

Maidstone Borough Council (MBC), is planting 633 trees to commemorate the number of people who died across the Maidstone borough because of Covid as part of the national Day of Reflection, as a memorial to the people who lost their lives and anyone impacted as a result Covid-19.

The trees include a combination of Oak, Birch, Hawthorn, Field Maple and are being planted in Allington Open Space. The memorial trees will be arranged in circles, to create a sense of endless remembrance and respect for those that sadly died.

Cllr Stuart Jeffery, MBC Leader said:

“I am pleased that the country is marking the 5^th anniversary and that Maidstone is playing its part in the commemorations. These trees will create a place to reflect on all the implications of Covid especially while the pain of loss is still fresh in the minds of many.

“People can visit, stop, remember and take time to reflect on those impacted since the pandemic started. There will be 15 rings of trees, grown two metres apart. The space will use full life planting, which means that around the Day of Reflection anniversary every year, any trees that are not establishing, with no buds or leaves, will be replaced. The Council is promising 100% life planting for the next five years to make sure there is a growing tree for every life that was lost.

“Covid was the greatest challenge to the country since World War II and sadly we lost a huge number of people to the virus.”

The national Day of Reflection will take place on Sunday 9 March when communities across the country have the opportunity to join together in commemoration of those who lost their lives during the pandemic.

The UK Commission on Covid Commemoration was set up to find appropriate ways to remember those who lost their lives since the pandemic began, and to explore how we mark this period of our history. As a result they have introduced the Day of Reflection when 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

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