Call for permanent tribute to Hartlepool's unsung Covid-19 heroes with a plaque in their honour
That’s the view of a charity founder who thinks the town should erect a plaque or mural to honour the tens of thousands of people who have ‘gone above and beyond’ during the pandemic.
Micky Day, the founder of the Miles for Men charity, is the brainchild behind the idea. He wants a tribute to everyone from the nurses and doctors to the shop workers and school teachers.
People who have taken the dogs out for walks for their elderly owners deserve praise. So do the countless people who are still doing shopping for those who are vulnerable and sheltering, he said.
There are neighbours who have made meals for the housebound. The carers who look after loved ones. There are the fundraisers who have achieved miracles to raise money, and the thousands of children who painted rainbows.
There are the tens of thousands of people who clapped for the carers and did it week after week.
The tribute should not contain individual names because there has been far too many heroes to individually mention, said Micky.
He added: “This has been a difficult time for everyone and we are not out of the woods yet. The people of Hartlepool have suffered but they have also been amazing. This isn’t about individuals, it is about unsung heroes who have never asked for praise.
“People are still shopping for the vulnerable. Children have painted rainbows. There are the charity volunteers who have done unbelievable work.
"There is everyone in the NHS, the nurses, the doctors, the supermarket workers who still went in every day so we could get our shopping.
"There are the school teachers who looked after the children, the key workers.”
Micky added: “I think that something should be designed that we can give to the community so that it can come together again.”
Britain has never seen anything like the pandemic in most people’s lifetimes and the only similar struggle was the Second World War, said Micky.
He added: “You can nominate lots of people as heroes but you should not put a name to this. It is for everyone. This should be a permanent tribute to everyone who played their part.
"They have shown that we live in a town which has had an unbelievable community spirit through all of this.
"We are hopefully coming to the end of the pandemic and the community of Hartlepool should be rewarded after what they have been through. They have gone above and beyond.”
We would love to know your views on the idea of a permanent tribute to the pandemic heroes of Hartlepool.
Do you support it and should it be a plaque, mural or some other form of praise?
And if you love the idea of a plaque or mural, where should it be erected in the town?
Get in touch and tell us more by either visiting the Hartlepool Mail Facebook page or emailing [email protected]