'Writing out these messages has led to some very moving conversations with people who have lost loved ones.' Photo: Canterbury Friends’ Covid memorial tree
'Writing out these messages has led to some very moving conversations with people who have lost loved ones.' Photo: Canterbury Friends’ Covid memorial tree
Canterbury Friends commemorated the third anniversary of the Covid lockdown by garlanding a tree in their garden with hearts and yellow ribbons.
Local Friends and other local residents wrote personal messages on the ribbons about their memories of Covid. These were mostly about losses, but Canterbury Quaker Tim Landsman said: ‘There were a few thankful messages too.’
Rose John, another local Friend, said: ‘We had hoped to find a way to remember such a significant time in just about everybody’s life; it sadly seems to be fading so quickly in our communal memory. In the region of 220,000 people died in the UK and many more suffered and still do. Writing out these messages has led to some very moving conversations with people who have lost loved ones and who have appreciated another way to say goodbye.’
The gaily-decorated crab apple tree is in front of the Meeting house and is passed daily by thousands of tourists on their way to and from the cathedral. The waterproofed messages remained on the tree until the end of March. The commemoration was inspired by the Marie Curie charity.
Please login to add a comment
Become a subscriber to enjoy unlimited access to our articles, dating back to 2009! Online subscribers get the Friend to their inbox each week, can comment on articles, and dive into our 1914-18 digital archive too!
Whether you are new to Quakerism or have been going to Meeting for years, you’ll find something here to inspire, inform and challenge you.
News | Views | Reviews
Written by and for Friends on the bench
Subscribe