Covid memorial smashed again in Shaw, Oldham

A Covid memorial in Shaw town centre has been smashed to pieces for the second time in under a year, leaving local councillors furious and residents saddened. The commemorative stone, tree, and bench installed in 2020 to honour NHS staff and key workers were discovered broken on Monday, March 9, just a day after the official Covid-19 Day of Reflection.

Councillor Louie Hamblett found the damage when he visited the memorial gardens. 'Someone has gone out their way to target a dedicated memorial that thanks our hard-working NHS and blue light services during one of the challenging times since the second world war,' he said.

This isn't the first time vandals have targeted the site. Last year, just days after the fifth anniversary of the pandemic, the stone was wrecked, the tree uprooted, and a rainbow logo spraypainted over on the memorial bench. Repairs cost Shaw and Crompton Town Council £1,200.

Councillor Marc Hince, chair of the resources committee, compared the memorial to a war cenotaph. 'Whether you agree or disagree with the circumstances, you wouldn't go and destroy a war memorial,' he said. The council plans to erect a new plaque in Shaw's community hall once a lease is secured at the Lifelong Learning Centre.

The memorial site overlooks Shaw's new health centre, where frontline NHS staff worked during the pandemic. At its unveiling, nurse Rachel Diskin and ward clerk Alyson Hopkinson from Royal Oldham Hospital shared their experiences of treating Covid patients and supporting their families during uncertain times.