The Harpur Centre have installed a giant yellow heart on the basement floor to tie in with the national #LoveForTheLost campaign. The campaign was founded by the ‘Yellow Hearts To Remember COVID-19’ support group to raise awareness and honour loved ones lost due to coronavirus.
‘Yellow Hearts to Remember COVID-19’ is a support group that was self-formed by a community of families bereaved during the pandemic. Their aim is simple, they want to ensure their loved ones are recognised and remembered as more than just a statistic. As life starts to return to a little more normality it is important to acknowledge the families who have been affected.
The group came together when the Gompertz family put a yellow heart in their window to remember their grandma/ mother/ wife, Sheila, and encouraged others grieving to do similar. The idea took off and they set up a Facebook group to allow people to share photos and stories of their loved ones. The page has quickly become an online tribute to many of the lost and the group has grown to nearly 6,000 members. Recently, retail places have begun to install the hearts as a sign of support for the families, and the team at The Harpur Centre were eager to bring the project to Bedford.
Samantha Laycock, Centre Manager at Harpur Centre, commented “The pandemic has presented unprecedented and extraordinary challenges for our community, our retailers, our teams and our visitors. So, when we were approached by a lady called Lynette who sadly lost her father last May, we were eager to show our support of families across Bedford. We are delighted that we are able to acknowledge those in our community who have been left grieving and honour their loved ones who have sadly lost their lives due to COVID-19.”
Lynette Luparello, a member of the ‘Yellow Hearts to Remember COVID-19’ support group, added “I am deeply moved that the Centre took the idea on board, knowing that it has become reality gives me great comfort and it’s wonderful that our loved ones are being remembered. Almost a year on from lockdown, the timing of The Harpur Centre’s unveiling is perfect.”
She added, “The installation is not only to remember the lost, but to honour the staff at Bedford Hospital who have worked tirelessly throughout this pandemic. When my father was in hospital on the Elizabeth Ward, the staff were so compassionate in the caring of him. As we were not allowed to visit him when he passed in May, the nurse on the ward held an I-pad to my dad’s ear so he could hear our voices, she promised that he would not be on his own when he passed, and I will always be indebted to her for that.”
For more information visit the website: www.harpurcentre.co.uk/offerswhats-on, or visit www.facebook.co.uk/harpurshoppingcentre, follow us on Twitter @HarpurCentre and follow us on Instagram @Harpur_Centre.
