Remembering Together

Our Covid Memorial Project

Donna Rutherford has been commissioned to engage with communities to co-create the memorial as part of the Remembering Together project, with East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure and greenspace scotland.

Donna will work with groups and locals, hosting a series of Open Sessions across East Renfrewshire, exploring how COVID has affected people, encouraging them to reflect on experiences and discuss how the memorial can honour those who have lost their lives to COVID.

Donna, originally from Barrhead, is a writer, performer, video-maker and director and is encouraging East Renfrewshire residents to get involved in the project.

Donna explained: “Having grown up in East Renfrewshire, it is a privilege to support residents in creating a powerful memorial that represents aspects of our recent experience – the loss, the frustration, fear and confusion, alongside the community strength that grew during the pandemic.

“Through a series of conversations with local residents, we will gather the experiences that truly mattered to people during the pandemic. In my work as an independent artist, I aim to generate a different kind of dialogue that extracts powerful narratives, demonstrating the bigger picture of human nature and survival. Initially exploring ideas, themes and personal stories, we will then consider what the end memorial can be and how to make it meaningful to a wide audience.”

The Remember Together programme is managed by Greenspace Scotland and aims to bring together communities and artists/creative practitioners in collective acts of reflection, remembrance, hope and healing. Supported with £4.6 million provided by the Scottish Government, memorial projects will be co-created in every local authority area of Scotland.

East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure invites residents to attend the Open Sessions, which will take place on:

Thursday 28 July 4.30-6.30pm at the Montgomerie Hall in Eaglesham

Monday 1 August 10-12noon at Thorntree Hall in Thornliebank;

Monday 1 August 2-4pm at Fairweather Hall in Newton Mearns;

Tuesday 2 August 1-3pm at Eastwood House;

Tuesday 2 August 4.30-6.30pm at Duff Memorial Hall in Busby;

Wednesday 3 August 2.30pm-4.30pm at Netherlee Pavillion;

Thursday 4 August 10-12noon at Clarkston Hall;

Wednesday 10 August 1.30-3.30pm at Dunterlie, Barrhead

Thursday 11 August 9.30-11.30am at Mure Hall in Uplawmoor

Thursday 11 August 1.30-3.30pm at Glen Halls in Neilston.