Liverpool’s unrivalled community spirit during the pandemic will be celebrated as part of a new photography exhibition, Covid-19: Liverpool’s Journey.
The event, which launches on today (Friday 25th June) at Liverpool ONE, will showcase the heroic efforts of local frontline workers, the dedication of volunteers and the impressive roll-out of mass testing and vaccinations across the city.
From children’s paintings thanking the NHS to food parcels being prepared for those shielding during lockdown, the exhibition – which will be set up on Thomas Steers Way – will run until late summer.
Organised in partnership with Liverpool City Council, it will also showcase how the city is playing its part in the country’s roadmap out of lockdown, including the country’s first club night since the beginning of the pandemic being held at Bramley Moore Dock.
‘The First Dance’, which was run by Circus, saw 6,000 revellers attend across two nights to see a star line-up of DJs, including Fatboy Slim, The Blessed Madonna and Sven Vath, with face coverings and social distancing being abandoned for the night as part of the trial.
It was hailed a success by scientific researchers and, according to Matt Ashton, Director of Public Health in Liverpool, did not cause “any detectable spread” of Covid 19, paving the way for future events to take place.
Donna Howitt, Place Strategy Director at Liverpool ONE, said:
“There’s no doubt that, over the last year, we’ve seen some tremendous examples of community spirit and a real sense of teamwork.
“Whether it’s the heroic efforts of our amazing NHS workers or the determination of local people to help stop the spread of the virus, we’ve all played our part in Liverpool’s Covid-19 journey.
“We’re extremely proud to be hosting this exhibition at Liverpool ONE – the collection of photographs is incredibly poignant and serves as a reminder of how much we’ve all been through and, importantly, have achieved together.”
Among those featured in the Covid-19: Liverpool’s Journey are care home workers Katie Williams and Toni Quick, who moved into Beechside Care Home before the country was officially put into lockdown. Together with their colleagues, they looked after the home’s 37 residents, saying “it just felt natural” to do so at such a critical time.
The exhibition also pays homage to Steven Bode, a civil engineering and design lecturer at the University of Liverpool, who made visors for frontline workers when there was a shortage of PPE for NHS staff at the start of the pandemic.
The University of Liverpool galvanised its community of staff, students, alumni and partners, as well as their collective resources, and shifted their focus to providing equipment that could help fill the gaps. To date, 211,500 items of PPE have been donated
Charity Everton in the Community is also recognised for providing 570 laptops to schoolchildren across the Liverpool City Region to help with home learning during lockdown.
Mayor of Liverpool Joanne Anderson said:
“Through the Covid-19 pandemic, Liverpool’s spirit has shone through, with organisations and individuals going above and beyond to help those in need.
“The city has also been a pioneer: piloting mass testing to get cases numbers down and holding the first nightclub, festival and business events to reopen the economy. This exhibition showcases some of the most poignant images from Liverpool’s Covid journey.”
For more information about Liverpool ONE, visit: www.liverpool-one.com
