New memorial in Staffordshire to honour key workers and lives lost during COVID
It's called the 'Trees of Life' glade at the National Memorial Arboretum
A new ‘Trees of Life’ glade has been dedicated at Staffordshire's National Memorial Arboretum to those who served our country throughout the pandemic, and to remember all those who died as a result of COVID-19 in the UK.
“As the Nation’s year-round place to remember, we were inundated with requests for us to create somewhere permanent to commemorate the incredible service and sacrifice of key workers during the pandemic, but also somewhere people could go at any time to remember those who had tragically lost their lives.” explains Philippa Rawlinson, Director of the Arboretum.
At the heart of the ‘Trees of Life’ glade is a stately Spaeth Alder tree, set within a beautiful seating area that invites visitors to pause, take a moment and reflect. The trees in the glade, created in partnership between the National Memorial Arboretum and the National Forest Company, were blessed by representatives of Diverse Communities of Faith at Westminster Abbey during a special Service of Remembrance in October 2022.
NHS nurse Becky Warren, who led the team at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital Vaccination Centre, near Oswestry in Shropshire, was one of the key workers at the dedication event and also participated in the Trees of Life service at Westminster Abbey last October.
“Over the course of 25 months, our team administered exactly 157,464 Covid-19 vaccinations to everyone from vulnerable groups to five-year-olds, and we heard many stories of trauma and resilience along the way,” said Becky. “It means a lot to me that our efforts are recognised here in the new Trees of Life glade, alongside all the other memorials at the Arboretum. It is amazing to see the trees, transplanted from the majesty of Westminster Abbey to the tranquillity of the Arboretum, creating a quiet, peaceful space that I will take a moment to reflect in whenever I visit.”
During the dedication event, which was attended by members of the public, volunteers and key workers, the Arboretum’s newly appointed ‘poet-in-residence' Dan Simpson shared his specially commissioned poem ‘Blessed Alder’, inspired by the Spaeth Alder tree at the heart of the ‘Trees of Life’ glade.
"From the moment I first stepped foot into the Arboretum, I felt how special and unique the site is. It spoke to me of memory and reverence, with a voice that is alive to the present,” commented Dan. “The poem I wrote for the dedication of the ‘Trees of Life’ glade today is the first in a series of poems, workshops and activities that I will be creating over the next 12 months, in service to the visitors, dedicated volunteers, passionate staff and to the Arboretum itself.”
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