Queen Mary supports Tower Hamlets with Covid-19 commemoration ceremony

Queens’ Building lit up blue in honour of the NHS

A ‘Queen Mary Remembers’ gathering was held for staff and students at the Mile End Campus, which invited people to think about those they know who have been affected and the loss they may have experienced, as well as the collective effort that is helping us through.

It was led by Queen Mary Chaplain, Ella Sharples, and open to everyone in the Queen Mary community - people of all faiths and none. Accompanying music was curated and provided by Dr Paul Edlin, Queen Mary’s Director of Music.

Dimitrisz Sopisz, the Grounds and Gardens Supervisor, also planted fruit trees as a representation of renewal and life, in addition to installing a commemorative plaque. The trees will be located across three campuses: by the John Vane Science Centre at Charterhouse Square, in the courtyard of Floyer house on the Whitechapel campus, and in the Sensory Garden at Mile End.

For the remainder of this week, students and staff will be able to collect crocus bulbs from outside of St Benet’s Chaplaincy to plant either in front of the campus chapel or somewhere personal and meaningful to them.

And in tribute to the local community, the Queen’s building and clocktower at Mile End was lit up in blue in a nod to the displays across the country that thanked the NHS.

The gathering organised was in support of a wider campaign launched by Tower Hamlets. A series of public events are taking place this week paying tribute to those who have died of Covid-19 and celebrating the response of residents and partners, and the strength of our community.

Dr Philippa Lloyd, Vice-Principal Policy and Strategic Partnerships at Queen Mary, attended and spoke at a Tower Hamlets event held on Monday in remembrance.

More information

Please visit Tower Hamlets’ website for further detail on its public events