Everyday HEROES 

A special project for a special time!

 

The Pandemic: We asked ourselves, "How might we commemorate and honour all the hard work and sacrifices made during this crisis?" After much discussion, we were inspired to ask the community to help create ceramic murals that will be displayed in public spaces. The project started in May 2019 and continued throughout the pandemic, we collected hundreds of hearts and permanently installed murals in London and Lincolnshire: at the Royal Marsden Hospital, West Norwood (private properties), Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford, and Great Carlton Social Club. 

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Dr George Rice Community Garden is now the location of The Everyday Heroes Memorial Mural. The mural was unveiled on the 23rd of March, 2023, the 3rd National Day of Reflection and on the anniversary of the start of the COVID lockdown in the UK.  

 

The memorial is made of 3 heart-shaped aluminium panels that house dozens of ceramic hearts made by Sutton residents and artists and even students from Croydon College that commemorate their experience of being key workers, the loss of loved ones in the pandemic and expressions of thankfulness for health workers and other 'everyday heroes'.  The installation of the memorial has been funded by Greenholm School whose students use the community garden as the site for work-based learning. 

 

The Dr George Rice Community Garden, named in honour of a Victorian pioneer of vaccination in Sutton, stands opposite the Library/Civic Centre car park that was the site of the central PCR testing station for Sutton during the pandemic.

 

The Archdeacon of Reigate, The Venerable Moira Astin attended and she was joined by representatives of other faiths and religious traditions who also shared prayers for the people of Sutton. Mayor Trish Fivey and Paul Scully MP were also present.

 

The pandemic impacted all of us in our community and we were happy to see everyone represented at the unveiling of the memorial that marks our collective experience.

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Team Imagineers want to thank all the artists, Sutton Community Fund, Potclays, Mayco Glazes and Greenholm School for their very generous support.

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And also @JohnKingLaser  John King Chains, who made the perfect aluminium panels.