FIRST LOOK: Covid memorial revealed with Valentine’s message of love

‘Barnsley’s fierce love will hold you forever in its heart’ – a dedication penned by the town’s famed poet Ian McMillan – will be engraved on the plinth of the memorial, but have first been turned into a bright neon installation, designed by local artist Patrick Murphy.

The neon words will light up the window of the Library @ the Lightbox on Valentine’s Day this Sunday, February 14.

Barnsley’s Covid Memorial, honouring those who lost their lives and serving as a tribute to key workers and unsung heroes of the pandemic, will be located in the new Glass Works Public Square in the heart of the town centre in November.

It has been designed and produced by local artist and sculptor Graham Ibbeson, in collaboration with Lockbund Sculpture Foundry.

His preliminary sketch is not the final version but the maquette gives an insight into how it will look including depicting seven figures cast in bronze, including figure a young girl, older man, volunteer, nurse, carer, police officer and a teacher – representing different generations and various communities; reflective of everyone affected by the pandemic.

Barnsley’s ground-breaking approach features ordinary working people who are hugely underrepresented in sculptures across the world.

It will be one of the world’s first permanent Covid memorial sculptures, paying tribute to those who have lost their lives and acknowledging the admirable and inspirational contribution of key workers, volunteers and local communities during the pandemic crisis.

Ian, affectionately know as the Bard of Barnsley, has also been appointed Barnsley’s Poet In Lockdown and has curated a charity book of lockdown sonnets, written by himself and others, to raise money for Barnsley Museums and Heritage Trust, available for a donation of £8 – CLICK HERE.

He said: “I’m very proud that my words will be part of the memorial sculpture and that they’ll be lit up at Library @ the lightbox.

“Language can shine and illuminate our thoughts and offer us comfort in terrible times, and I hope these words will offer help and inspiration.”

Sculpture Graham, an artist with an international reputation for his figurative style, said: “I am honoured to be part of the team creating a permanent memorial to those that have sadly lost their lives to Covid in Barnsley, and to honour our key workers.

“With this work we are paying tribute to the incredible work of our key workers and the ordinary people that have bound a community together; we are literally putting these ordinary working people on a pedestal, acknowledging their extraordinary, efforts, sacrifices, and skills in protecting our community, and giving us hope for the future.”

The neon installation at the Library @ the Lightbox will launch a series of Covid Memorial engagement activities, starting with Message in a Bottle, an initiative for people to share their experiences of the coronavirus pandemic by adding their thoughts, feelings or stories to a postcard in the shape of a bottle, designed by local artist Patrick Murphy.

Those wanting to contribute their own experience or story from the pandemic are being urged to download a digital postcard they can use to share on social media – CLICK HERE.

Stories should be uploaded on Facebook comments at @HearMyVoiceBsly and Twitter @HearMyVoiceBsly, using #MessageInABottleBarnsley or email to [email protected]

Words gathered from this engagement activity will lead to the creation of additional neon artworks for the unveiling of the sculpture this November.

Other creative activities will also take place, with school children being invited to create drawings of key workers that will be incorporated into a plaque on the plinth of the sculpture, as well as photographic studies and portraits of our key workers.

Leader of Barnsley Council, Sir Stephen Houghton CBE said: “This memorial and project will mark one of the most challenging times in our history and be a permanent piece that will endure for many decades.

“It will be a key focal point in our new public square and provide a place for people to visit and commemorate those they have lost and remember the incredible efforts of those that worked tirelessly to look after us and keep things going.

“We are very grateful to both Ian and Graham who have offered their time and services for free by way of demonstrating their love and support to Barnsley, its residents and communities at this difficult time in our history.

MP for Barnsley Central and South Yorkshire Mayor, Dan Jarvis said: “Over 100,000 people have lost their lives to this wretched disease across the country – including hundreds here in Barnsley. Every death represents a family in mourning and a community devastated.

“It is enormously heartening that Barnsley will commemorate those residents whose lives have been cut short by Covid. I am hugely proud to have worked closely with Steve Houghton and Barnsley Council to ensure that we pay a fitting tribute to them and mourn their passing.”

Visit barnsley.gov.uk/Covid-memorial for more information and to download the digital postcard.