COVID-19 Memorial Garden in Vulcan Park

Workington Town Council and R.A.F General Engineering Ltd are working together to create a garden of remembrance as a mark of respect for the loss and sacrifice experienced during the COVID-19 crisis.

The garden will be in Vulcan Park, Workington, between the park lodge and old tennis courts. The council are proposing to call the new space the ‘Nightingale Garden’ but welcome alternative suggestions from the public.

The centrepiece for the garden was the idea of Rafal Gibki, Managing Director of R.A.F General Engineering Ltd, based in Workington, in collaboration with Steve Marshall, Monument Designer. The monument aims to reflect the community’s resolve to overcome the Coronavirus crisis, with a pair of hands echoing the help of key workers, and the weekly tribute which became a feature of the darkest days of lockdown.

The memorial monument will be manufactured by Rafal and his team of colleagues. Raf commented, ‘We chose to manufacture this monument to give something back to the community, allowing local people to remember the changes which we have endured in 2020.

This is something the company feels passionate about and we are pleased we were able to come up with such a reflective and impressive design. We wanted to make sure all the sacrifice was not forgotten and we would also like to say a massive thank you for the support we have received as a business from the local community in this difficult, strange time.’

The Mayor of Workington, Cllr Janet King, added, ‘The garden will be a space for quiet reflection as we move forward through this crisis. It will act as a place of remembrance for those who we have lost and as a site of respect for the key workers who have sacrificed so much. We are very grateful to R.A.F General Engineering Ltd and Steve Marshall for their extraordinary generosity at such a difficult time’.

The garden will occupy a quiet corner of the park and, in addition to the memorial monument, will incorporate a pebble feature reflecting the designs that many have painted during lockdown to show their support for key workers.

Local businesses that would like to be involved in the construction of the garden through the donation of time or materials are asked to contact the Town Council for further details.

Those interested in offering time or expertise to the project can get involved by contacting Workington Town Council: office@workingtontowncouncil.gov.uk / 01900 702986 or via our Facebook page @workingtontowncouncil.

Feedback for the proposed name of ‘Nightingale Garden’ can also be submitted by contacting Workington Town Council: office@workingtontowncouncil.gov.uk / 01900 702986 or via our Facebook page @workingtontowncouncil.