Council buildings will light up yellow to mark the first anniversary of the UK lockdown

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council will light up their Civic buildings; Antrim Civic Centre, Ballyclare Town Hall and Mossley Mill, yellow on Tuesday 23 March to mark the first anniversary of the first lock down and COVID-19 death in Northern Ireland.

No-one knew the full extent of the devastation that COVID-19 would bring and one year on we must join together as a Nation and remember those hundreds of thousands of lives that have been lost and the families left behind. 
Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Jim Montgomery and the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Noreen McClelland presented Brenda Doherty, whose mother Ruth Burke was the first woman to die from COVID-19 in Northern Ireland, with a yellow wreath in remembrance of all those who have lost their lives. Brenda from Jordanstown reached out to the Council at the start of the year for support to mark the first anniversary of the first death and lock down in Northern Ireland.

The Mayor commented

“I am pleased the Council are supporting this campaign by lighting up the Civic buildings. I have seen the devastation of families affected by COVID-19 and other bereaved families that have lost love ones and have been denied a proper mourning, I hope this will bring some comfort to those families. We must also remember the thousands of front-line staff who also lost their lives whilst saving others. The impact of COVID-19 will be felt for many years to come and we must all remain united in the ongoing fight against COVID-19 so we can look forward to brighter days ahead.”

Brenda Doherty added

“I am very grateful for the support the Council have shown me. There are lots of families like mine that did not get to have a proper celebration for the lives lost for many illnesses not just COVID-19. We must also remember those who have lost their jobs and businesses as a result of this pandemic.”