Proposed South Tyneside Covid-19 memorial locations confirmed and image released - South Shields, Jarrow, Hebburn, Whitburn, Boldon and Cleadon all to get monolith

South Tyneside Council has submitted applications to its own planning department to erect “Covid memorial statues” in towns and villages across the borough.

Councillor Tracey Dixon, leader of the council, previously said the local authority wanted to create a “meaningful and lasting memorial” to loved ones lost during the pandemic.

The council has been working with The Cultural Spring on an initiative that encourages members of the public to talk about their own experiences of the pandemic.

One element of the project is developing inscriptions for new Covid memorials located across South Tyneside.

Subject to planning permission being granted, the memorial statues would provide focal points for family and friends to reflect and remember.

A total of six applications have been submitted for the memorials and planned locations include:

:: South Marine Park in South Shields

:: West Park in Jarrow

:: Carr Ellison Park in Hebburn

:: Cornthwaite Park in Whitburn

:: A site beside Cleadon Village Pond in Cleadon

:: Land between Gibson Court and Hubert Street in Boldon Colliery

Each memorial will be constructed in granite including a square base plinth with a statue on top.

The front and rear of the memorials will also be “polished granite” and the top of each memorial will include a “cut out hole”.

Cllr Tracey Dixon, leader of South Tyneside Council, added:”The coronavirus pandemic affected us all in some way.

“Our communities not only pulled together to help each other during these difficult times but provided much-needed support and comfort to the many people suffering tragic loss.

“Back in 2020, we said we wanted to create a meaningful and lasting memorial to loved ones lost to the coronavirus pandemic, to commemorate their lives and to provide a special place and focal point for families and friends to reflect and remember.”

South Tyneside Council aims to unveil the memorials as part of wider plans to award the Freedom of the Borough to NHS staff, carers and key workers.

An extraordinary council meeting to commemorate the borough’s key workers is due to take place in March, 2023.

Decisions on planning applications for the Covid memorial statues will be made once council consultation exercises have concluded.

For more information, visit South Tyneside Council’s online planning portal: www.south tyneside.gov.uk/article/1548