A PERMANENT memorial honouring key workers and paying tribute to the victims of coronavirus should be created in Castle Park, it has been claimed.

Adam Fox, leader of Colchester Labour Group, wants to see residents get involved in designing the memorial as part of a competition. He said more than 400 people had died with Covid in the borough.

“Many people will not have been able to attend a funeral and commemorate the lives of their loved ones as they normally would,” Mr Fox said.

“As we continue to be vigilant against the virus and start to think about how we live in the future it is time to remember all those who lost their lives to Covid and those who helped to support the community as key workers and volunteers.

“A memorial will also allow people to remember the big and the small sacrifices we all made as we stayed at home and isolated to prevent the spread of the virus.”

A series of recommendations from Colchester Council’s policy panel will be discussed by Cabinet at a meeting next week.

Ideas including a remembrance festival, community celebration and official memorial bench design will be discussed.

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Paul Dundas, leader of Colchester Council, said: “We are all committed to ensuring there is a lasting and appropriate memorial both to those who have suffered with Covid and to those from so many organisations and individuals who have responded in such an incredible way over the last 18 months.

“This must be done in consultation with the community to ensure whatever we do has wide support.

“We also want to ensure that the towns and parishes in the borough are supported in being able to bring about their own schemes – it can’t just be about the town centre.”

“It is also important to remember that we do not know what is still to come with Covid.

“I wouldn’t want anything which represents a definitive end to the pandemic just now when we honestly don’t know whether we are at the beginning, middle, or the end.”