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On Tuesday as part of the national day of reflection, Dawn Butler MP officially launched the Parliamentary Coronavirus Memorial Quilt.
The Project, which has received cross-party support, will see Parliament come together in a sign of unity.
Members of Parliament, Lords and staff across Parliament will contribute a personally designed block. Each block will be sewn together to form a quilt, creating a tapestry of experiences, struggles, loss and love endured during Lockdown.
The inspiration came to Ms Butler, after sleepless nights thinking about loss and life, and an urge to commemorate the many stories that might never be otherwise told.
In addition to all the contributions made, there will be four blocks dedicated to the four members of staff in Parliament who sadly lost their lives to the virus.
Dawn Butler, Member of Parliament for Brent Central, said: “As the anniversary of lockdown neared, I wanted to do something special to mark the most challenging period in a life-time.
"After the idea came to me I put out a call on social media, I met a wonderful quilter named Naomi and after some researching, it struck me just how deep and meaningful a memorial quilt would be.
“This quilt will be about telling a story, of this moment where the world was put on lockdown. It will also show that MPs have often suffered in silence and that no matter who we are, we are connected through our shared experiences.
"And to convey our appreciation and support to every single person who has dedicated their time and energy to help the country through one of its darkest hours, and to commemorate those lost loved ones my quilt block is made from a Christmas hat because Christmas for me was so different instead of 30 family members we had just four and I have also remembered my uncle who died with Covid, his son who died just a few months before and my father who I know will be looking after them all in heaven.
“Having seen some of the blocks this quilt will be very, very special. We aim to create a book to accompany the quilt which will be auctioned off for charity.“
The Speaker of the House added: “This is such a wonderful idea that not only brings together our parliamentary community but enables each person to express their feelings in a creative and positive way.
"My own small part of the quilt will reflect our sadness for the much-loved members of staff we have lost, and the families and friends who mourn them.”
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