A floral star of david was the centerpiece of a somber and poignant day at Heathlands Village this week, as The Fed marked the National Day of Reflection in emotional memorable style.
Speaking ahead of a minute’s silence, where he was joined in the Village gardens by colleagues and residents, Chief Executive Mark Cunningham describing how, “…among the sadness, there were moments of joy; days where we recognised how resilient and heroic people can be – moments of unexpected kindness and sacrifice that will live long in the memory.”
An orange wreath was hung by one of our youngest residents, Shelley Niven, who also performed a poem of her own creation, titled ‘Let Us Reflect On This Solemn Day.’
Following the poem, a minute’s silence was observed along with the rest of the country by a crowd of more than 60 people – suitably socially distanced. The minute was followed by a round of applause, in tribute to the tireless, heroic efforts of all The Fed’s staff throughout the pandemic.
As the day drew to a close, Heathlands Village was bathed in a beautiful orange glow by display lights placed all around the building.
In a display of how the organisation’s staff go the extra mile for each other, Colin Leach, a member of The Fed’s maintenance team, had organised the lighting as an additional touching tribute, in time for colleagues working the night shift to see.
Chief Executive Mark Cunningham summed up the day:
“Covid-19 has left its mark on us all.
“Today we remember and celebrate the lives of the people who have been taken from us by Covid-19.
“We do not want to forget that everyone who died was an individual person, somebody much-loved and greatly missed by their families and by the people who cared for them.
They were not just a number or statistic on a Government chart. The scale of the loss is still hard to comprehend but we remember the person, and our hearts and thoughts go out today to everyone affected.”