A special memorial is being built within the grounds of Chelmsford Cathedral to help the community remember loved ones lost to Covid.

The community cairn, which will be in place throughout June, offers residents the chance to pay their own respects to the victims of the pandemic.

The memorial will be made up of stones placed in a circle on the ground.

Stones are available in the Cathedral porch during opening hours and you can personalise or decorate a stone before adding it to the cairn.

You can also bring your own stone and lay it at any time.

Brentwood Live:

Canon Ivor Moody, Vice Dean and Canon Pastor at Chelmsford Cathedral said: “A cairn is an ancient, centuries old way of helping people to remember lost loved ones.

“We felt it was important here at Chelmsford Cathedral to help people in a very simple but physical way to remember anyone that they may have lost.

“The circle of stones already forming at the Cathedral all represent people who have come here, written a message and placed a stone to be left here in this sacred place as a memorial.

“This is the Cathedral’s way of joining with our community to remember, to help those who are grieving, so everyone is warmly welcome to add to this special memorial cairn.”

Members of the Cathedral clergy team will be available at the cairn if you need someone to talk to on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from midday until 1pm.

The memorial is part of the Cathedral’s “How are you?” project which is reaching out to people to offer emotional support as lockdown restrictions begin to lift.