COVID-19 Day of Reflection: Honouring and remembering those lost
This week, Georgina Colton, Commemorative Events Project Lead at Department for Culture, Media and Sport, writes about the upcoming COVID-19 Day of Reflection.
The COVID-19 Day of Reflection will take place on Sunday, 8th March 2026. This national moment offers an opportunity for communities across the UK to come together to remember lives lost, reflect on the sacrifices made by many, recognise many are still feeling the impacts of the pandemic and pay tribute to the contributions of key workers and all those who volunteered or contributed.
The Government affirmed its commitment to the Day as part of a broader commemorative programme that was announced last year. We have established COVID-19 Commemoration webpages which include a series of oral histories, education materials and details on memorials.
Faith and belief organisations were pillars of strength during the pandemic and continue to play a vital role in our communities in offering comfort, support, and a space for meaningful observance of this national occasion. For example, St Paul’s online book of remembrance for those who died is open to people of all faiths and none to share tributes.
How your faith and belief group can get involved
In 2025, faith and belief groups got involved in a variety of ways that were meaningful to each community. Should you wish to do so, here are some ideas to get you started:
- Host spaces for quiet contemplation: Offer your buildings as safe, welcoming spaces for personal reflection. For instance, providing a quiet place for individuals to sit, light a candle for a loved one, or leave a message. Last year, some settings held ‘Pause and Pray’ initiatives that give space for quiet remembrance outside of formal services.
- Organise inclusive commemorative services: Plan a service or gathering that is accessible to all, whether they are regular attendees or new to your space. A service, for instance, could be designed to look back on the shared anxieties of the lockdown period, celebrate the return of community mingling, and commemorate those who died.
- Support ongoing bereavement and mental health: Extend the Day of Reflection into longer-term support. Initiatives like compassionate cafes, drop-in sessions or bereavement courses offer safe spaces for those bereaved to connect with others who have experienced loss and can provide essential support.
- Collaborate on interfaith and community events: Partner with local councils, community groups, and other faith and belief organisations to hold a joint event. University chaplains, for example, have brought together staff, students, and city residents for shared reflections, prayers, and message-sharing.
The Day may look different for each community, and should you wish to recognise it please do so in a way that is most appropriate and fitting for your community. If you would like to get involved in the day, you can add your event or place for reflection to the government’s interactive map. Events can be added as open to the public or private.
Below are some examples of how different communities responded to the Day in 2025, and their thoughts for 2026.
Adapting a service
“Last year, we adapted a typical Christian service, but focused on making it simple, accessible, sensitive, and creative. This combination worked exceptionally well in our community. We intentionally used hymns with straightforward tunes and themes of reassurance, and we replaced the traditional sermon with reflections in two different voices and styles—one connecting the ‘temptations’ of Lent to the isolation and loss of the pandemic, and another linking COVID-19 to past Scottish traumas like the Dunblane school shootings.
This diversity allowed a wider audience to connect. We followed this with a powerful, full three minutes of silence and a creative art installation where people could light a candle on a ‘crown of thorns’ or write their personal reflections. It was important because it transformed personal loss into shared public commemoration that was distinctly Christian yet welcoming to all. This year, we’re moving further away from a traditional framework, incorporating poetry and more informal, interactive ways of praying.”
Rev Drs John Drane & Olive Fleming Drane, Mission Consultants at Kelvinside Hillhead Parish Church, Glasgow
Remembering selfless service
“The Day gives us an opportunity to remember the thousands who gave their lives serving others. We remember NHS personnel like the first Sikh A&E consultant to die from COVID-19 in April 2020. We remember the Sikh doctors due to inadequate PPE to cover their dastaar (turban), who were too committed to help patients in such dire need. They paid for their selfless service with their lives.
We remember the thousands of Sikh volunteers who carried out selfless service and made hundreds of thousands of vegetarian meals in Gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship) and delivered them to vulnerable families and staff in hospitals. We remember the coming together of individuals and communities to help each other: the shared loss, the tears, and the grief. Let us pray and care for those who are still suffering and give them the support and love to face each day. As Sikhs we pray for God’s Blessings on the whole of humanity now and forever more.”
Ravinder Kaur Nijjar, Chair, Sikhs in Scotland
Remembering, healing and moving forward
“Last year at Manchester Cathedral, the Caribbean and African Health Network hosted a sombre service where the lived experience and testimonies were profoundly moving. The service was a reminder of the unique challenges our Black Caribbean and African community faced during COVID-19: higher mortality rates, healthcare barriers, and deepened health inequalities. These stories reinforced why this day matters: our grief is real, our losses were profound.
On March 8th at The Manchester Monastery, we will be gathering again to remember our collective struggle during the pandemic, honour lives lost, support those still grieving, and stand together in hope. I encourage everyone touched by this pandemic to join us as we remember, heal, and move forward with renewed unity.”
Rev Canon Charles Kwaku-Odoi DL, Chief Executive, Caribbean & African Health Network
Support for unprocessed loss
“The pandemic brought into sharp focus the possibility of death and how much more painful and complex grief can be when we’re unable to say goodbye to those we love. AtaLoss is offering our essential signposting service for the Day of Reflection to help those who have been bereaved: AtaLoss.org, raising awareness of the nation’s unprocessed loss, and encouraging churches of all denominations to pray and to direct bereaved people to The Bereavement Journey(R) courses in over 560 locations across the UK.”
Revd Canon Yvonne Tulloch, CEO, AtaLoss
