Tomorrow (23 March) will be the first anniversary of the start of the first COVID-19 lockdown. Like the rest of the country, we in Barnet will reflect on the events of the past 12 months and the impact it has had on our communities.
• A message from the Worshipful Mayor of Barnet, Cllr Caroline Stock: Keep Barnet Safe
At 12pm on Tuesday, there will be a national one-minute silence to remember all those who have lost their lives or been adversely affected.
At 8pm, the country will stand on their doorsteps alongside their neighbours to commemorate those who have died from the virus, contemplate the challenges of the past 12 months and unite in hope for a brighter future. It is hoped people will help create a nationwide 'beacon of remembrance' by beaming phones, candles and torches into the night sky.
From the start of the pandemic, Barnet Council has provided urgent support to those at risk and vulnerable, as well as maintain those essential services that we all depend on. Our Public Health and emergency response teams have worked tirelessly all year alongside so many other council services that have all continued to do an amazing job on behalf of the residents in Barnet.
The support provided to those most in need would not have been possible without the many local organisations and community partners that have worked with the council. Every day this week, we will thank those who played a role in aiding their fellow residents for their extraordinary efforts.
It has been humbling to see Barnet residents come together to help each other. From our frontline NHS staff, carers and essential workers who have sustained their determination and dedication to fight this pandemic while working excessive hours and facing unimaginable physical and emotional challenge, to our incredible partners and devoted cohort of volunteers – Barnet’s resilience and community spirit has truly shone this year.
This week we will mourn all those we have tragically lost to the COVID-19 crisis. Although many of us are grieving and coming to terms with the ways this past year has affected us, our families and our communities, I hope we can also take some comfort in seeing communities rallying together in a spirit that makes me proud to be the Mayor of this fine borough.
We can be cautiously optimistic that the tide is turning and a return to normality is on the horizon.
Let us reflect tomorrow on what we have lost, but also on the hope we have achieved from working collectively.
Together, we are Barnet.
The Worshipful the Mayor, Cllr Caroline Stock