I call on the government to liaise with charities and establish a central fund to provide grants of up to £50,000 to Local Authorities to fund the creation of local arboretums as public places of remembrance in the aftermath of the current crisis.
As we emerge from a very long, dark tunnel, thought should now be given to how, as a nation, we can best:
• mourn loved ones lost to the disease
• recognise the heroism of so many who gave support, care, succour and sometimes their own lives to help others
• reflect on the lessons we can learn as communities, and as society as a whole, on the frailty but also the strength and resilience of humankind.
• celebrate the achievements of those who, with medical skill and dedication saw us emerge from the darkness.
What better way to do this than by planting trees? Symbols of the lasting relationship with our environment and providers of oxygen; a commodity that was so cruelly denied to those who died at the hands of this disease.