Covid Sheffield: Memorial for coronavirus victims to be unveiled in Chapeltown Park this weekend

The stone monument has been completed and will be unveiled in Chapeltown Park this Saturday, April 9, at midday.

It will honour all those who died with the virus in the areas of Chapeltown, Burncross, Thorncliffe, Ecclesfield, High Green and Grenoside. Chapeltown Park was chosen for the memorial due to its central location.

Small decorative stones will also be placed in other parks like Angram Bank, Mortomley, Charlton Brook, Mackenzie, and Grenoside.

The wording around the monument reads: “We all came together as the world stayed apart. Covid Pandemic 2020. Now we sit side by side and remember.”

A total of £15,000 was raised so that a Sheffield sculptor, Andrew Vickers from Stoneface Creative, could create the monument.

The design was based on the work from winners of a competition held in local schools at the end of 2021.

Stone pebbles decorated by the children have also been included in the memorial, and there is room in the monument arch for floral tributes.

Friends of Chapeltown Park and Chapeltown Parish Council have been closely involved in the project and say a string of garland flowers will be cut instead of a ribbon.

The memorial’s unveiling comes shortly after Sheffield’s coronavirus death toll passed 1,500.

As of Wednesday, 1,523 people across the city – including 22 within the last seven days – had died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid.