Wigan Borough has two dedicated Covid-19 memorial sites. The Places of Reflection located in Mesnes Field, Wigan and Lilford Park, Leigh were officially opened by the Mayor of Wigan in Autumn 2024.
Both sites were specially designed, following public consultation with residents, to provide a space to acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions made during the pandemic, recognising the ongoing impact of COVID-19 and helping people to look to the future.
Young people from Wigan Youth Zone took part in a creative project to help design the stone features.
A national Day of Reflection is held each year in March. We invite our residents and local communities to visit the sites for a moment of reflection.
Consultation
From September 2021 to January 2022, supported by Minerva Heritage, people were consulted through a combination of online surveys and individual/group consultations, to agree an approach to developing and delivering a Wigan Borough Covid-19 memorial.
Consultation took place whilst the pandemic was ongoing, and included: community interest groups, charities, funeral directors, faith groups and bereaved families. Group consultations took place with youth groups, a local high school, NHS and a group for older people.
The consultation found that people wanted the sites to:
- Serve a purpose
- Offer opportunities for quiet reflection
- Help to overcome negative impacts of the pandemic - encourage social interaction, offer opportunities to meet with others, support confidence building
- Support people and organisations to connect and network with each other for future benefit
- Support and improve health and wellbeing
- Be accessible and inclusive
- Be easily accessed by everyone in the Borough, either in their immediate locality or easily accessed by public transport
- Free to access, outdoors, utilising the borough’s green spaces
- Tell the collective story of the Borough’s experience
- Involve people
- Contribute to the design, form, content and construction of the memorial(s).
The project was funded by Wigan Council. Additional contributions came from section 106 developer proceeds and the borough’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocation.
In 2021, stars were unveiled on Believe Square in Wigan and outside Leigh Town Hall honouring the contributions of NHS, health and social care staff and key-workers during the pandemic.
Leader of Wigan Council, Councillor David Molyneux MBE:
“These two sites offer the opportunity to relax and reflect, and also to remember those who are no longer with us. “We know how important this project has been for our residents, including the many who contributed to the consultation to help develop the plans.”
Memorial Gardens