Remembering Together D&G

🕯5 years ago today, the UK entered its first COVID lockdown. As we observe this day of reflection across Scotland, we remember those we lost, the dedication of careworkers, and our united communities. This beautiful video by @kirstinmcewanphotography showcases Dumfries and Galloway's COVID Memorial Forest—over 400 native trees planted across five locations in Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Moffat, Sanquhar, and Stranraer – creating a living tribute to each person lost to COVID-19 in our region. 🙏🏾 Pls share with those impacted by the pandemic & encourage those nearby Dumfries, Castle Douglas, Moffat, Sanquhar, and Stranraer to VISIT the Memorial Forest 🌳🌳🌳 Link in Bio & at 🔗memorialforestdg.co.uk🔗 . . . Music by SongWave Community Choir Lead Artists @tsbeall  @katie_j_and Lead Partners @rememberingtogether.scot  @dg_unlimited1  @dumfries_and_galloway_council / Site Partners across D&G @thecrichtontrust @nhs_dg @nationaltrustforscotland @castledouglasdevelopmentforum @bordersforesttrust @atheairts Makers @xylo.phil  @weagreeoneggs  @susibriggsauthor Pls share @dgwgo #COVID19Memorial #DayOfReflection #RememberingTogether #Livingmemorial #Covidmemorial #Covid #Plantingtrees

It’s been over 2 years in the making, so we’re looking back a bit as this project comes to a close – here’s a wee recap about D&G’s Dispersed Memorial Forest, and some lovely images from when we started... 🌱The Covid Memorial for #DumfriesandGalloway is a memorial forest, planted across the region in Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Moffat, Sanquhar, and Stranraer. 🌳Over 400 native trees have been planted as a way to remember and honour each person who died from Covid in the region. Additional trees represent other types of loss, and the ways communities came together. 🌳D&G’s Covid Memorial Forest is part of Scotland-wide project, Remembering Together, which has been working to co-create memorials in each of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas. Commissioned Artists t s Beall and Katie Anderson began working with communities in 2022, exploring how to remember and honour those impacted by Covid. They brought a sculptural Tree of Remembrance to large public events across D&G, and hosted smaller postcard-making workshops and conversational events with community groups – including NHS staff, unpaid carers, young people, and New Scots. In workshops and conversations during Phase 1, the artists spoke to over 800 people from towns and communities across the region. More info and images available at: memorialforestdg.co.uk/about/the-story/ 👉🏾Link in Bio🔗 Images: 1. Remembering Together D&G Placard with question: "What do you want to remember about Lockdown?", at the Unexpected Garden Festival in Stranraer, Sept 2022. Image Gregor Anderson 2. A woman writes a message on a ribbon for the 'Tree of Remembrance' (shown in background), Wigtown Book Festival Oct 2022. Image Colin Tennant 3. TR: Postcard created by a nurse who worked through the pandemic, Sept 2022. Image tsBeall 4. Tree Planting event in #Stranraer at Galloway Community Hospital, April 2023. Image by Kirsten McEwan . . . . @rememberingtogether.scot @dg_unlimited1 @dumfries_and_galloway_council / @tsbeall @katie_j_and @thecrichtontrust @nhs_dg @nationaltrustforscotland @castledouglasdevelopmentforum @bordersforesttrust @atheairts @dgwgo @xylo.phil @weagreeoneggs @susibriggsauthor

Would you like to visit D&G’s Covid Memorial Forest? ‘The Dispersed Memorial Forest’ is over 400 native trees, planted across #DumfriesandGalloway as a way to remember and honour each person who died from COVID-19 in the region. Launching today, we have a new website with info on how you can VISIT each of the 5 Memorial Forest sites, which are free and open to everyone, at: Castle Douglas (Threave) Dumfries (Crichton and Mountainhall) Moffat Community Nature Reserve Sanquhar’s Bell Crescent Park Stranraer’s Galloway Community Hospital Check out the new website (Link in Bio) and 👉🏾memorialforestdg.co.uk . . . . @greenspacescotland  @rememberingtogether.scot  @dg_unlimited1  @dumfries_and_galloway_council / @tsbeall  @katie_j_and   @thecrichtontrust @nhs_dg @nationaltrustforscotland @castledouglasdevelopmentforum @bordersforesttrust @atheairts @dgwgo   @xylo.phil @weagreeoneggs @susibriggsauthor Photographs: @kirstinmcewanphotography (w/ a few by @colinjtennant and n@tsbeall ) #rememberingtogether #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial #dispersedmemorialforest #publicart  #dumfriesandgalloway #CastleDouglas #Dumfries #Moffat #Sanquhar #Stranraer #outdoors #COVIDMemorial  #planttrees  #memorial #PlantTreesPlantHope

Next up in our mini series of posts looking back at our Community Gatherings in June, and today we are sharing some of the wonderful speakers who joined us to help launch each of the five Dispersed Memorial Forest sites in Dumfries and Galloway . . Speakers . . At each of our gatherings we were joined by a variety of speakers who shared their experiences and reflections on the project, and their pandemic experiences - both personal and through their working professions. As well as hearing from project partners who had been part of the Remembering Together journey, we also heard from local NHS staff, from those working in care homes, spiritual care leads, writers and poets, tree planters and community members who had been involved in the project or had attended some of our various community events and activities. Special thanks to everyone who spoke at our events (in all weathers!), sharing stories of loss and stories of incredible resilience. Pictures as ever from @kirstinmcewanphotography 🌳🌳 #rememberingtogether #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial @rememberingtogether.scot  #dispersedmemorialforest

Next up in our mini series of posts looking back at our Community Gatherings in June, today focusing on walking together. . . Walks . . The theme of walking, and spending time out of doors came up often in our early conversations about the project, reminiscing on the good moments within the pandemic spent re-discovering local pathways and routes, to looking for new ways of gathering that can be done gently, out in fresh air. We included walking as part of our Dumfries and Moffat events, in Dumfries our Dispersed Memorial Forest is literally dispersed across the Crichton and NHS Mountainhall, creating an approximate one hour walking loop between each of the clusters of trees, which we walked together, stopping to speak and share at each of the markers. In Moffat, one of our site volunteers Jon offered to lead a group from the Moffat Ram zig-zagging our way along beautiful paths and walkways to the Moffat Nature Reserve where our easterly portion of the Dispersed Memorial Forest is sited. Pictures as ever from @kirstinmcewanphotography 🌳🌳 #rememberingtogether #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial @rememberingtogether.scot  #dispersedmemorialforest

We’re looking back at some of the brilliant documentation and images captured by @kirstinmcewanphotography as we finalise the projects online archive, and thought we should share some of these lovely moments with you. . Music . . Each of our Community Gathering Events were planned alongside our site partners and with input and suggestions from local groups and individuals that have been engaging with our project, so when some people suggested we should have some music at the unveiling of the Dispersed Memorial Forest sites we jumped at the idea! Performers included Scots Scriever @susibriggsauthor , SongWave Choir, Pete Farrell and Dave Dick, Stranraer Brass Brand and even a young piper in Moffat! Thank you to everyone who joined in as part of our gathering events, a special moment to share with all who attended. 🌳🌳 #rememberingtogether #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial @rememberingtogether.scot #dispersedmemorialforest

We’re looking back at some of the brilliant documentation and images captured by @kirstinmcewanphotography as we finalise the projects online archive, and thought we should share some of these lovely moments with you. . Workshops and Creative Activity . . At each of some of our gathering events we hosted creative activities, working with Emily Tough @weagreeoneggs in Threave, Stranraer and Moffat, and supported by @miarosborne in Sanquhar! The activities allowed those attending to explore and learn more about the tree species included at each site, and the materials and textures used in the markers working with Emily’s beautiful handmade crayons. Thanks Emily and Mia! #rememberingtogether #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial #dispersedmemorialforest

Remembering Together | The Dispersed Memorial Forest . . . In Stranraer you will find a little section of the Dispersed Memorial Forest at Galloway Community Hospital, tucked in as part of the community garden space there cared for by the local Incredible Edible branch. It’s a lovely, tranquil spot with veg and flower beds, a poly tunnel and various assorted seats and out buildings. The Memorial Forest features five trees on this site, selected for their colour and size - not to dominate the garden space but provide a welcome addition. The marker for this site includes a ground-set piece featuring bronze cast handwriting and sandstone slabs, alongside a sandstone upright with handwriting inscriptions gathered during earlier stages of the project. Special thanks to everyone involved in creating this, TreeSurv and the volunteers involved in planting, stone sourcing and finishing thanks to Hutton Stone and @artistorguk , bronze work supported by the good folks @eswsculpture technical team 🔥, text detailing thanks to @a1graphicsltd and Alisdair at Grit n Polish, install led by K Swan Builders, loading support (long story..!) with thanks to my parents lovely neighbour Stuart. Thanks too to everyone involved in the launch at Stranraer, which formed part of Galloway Community Hospital’s first ever Gala Day and fundraiser. Photographs: @kirstinmcewanphotography . . . #rememberingtogetherscotland #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial #dispersedmemorialforest #publicart

Remembering Together Dumfries and Galloway | The Dispersed Memorial Forest . . . As @tsbeall and I’s project @rememberingtogetherdg is drawing to a close I thought I’d share each of the completed sites, featuring a portion of The Dispersed Memorial Forest alongside small sculptural markers. The next in our series is Moffat - the sculptural marker featuring a paving and bronze ground-set marker made with support from the wonderful @eswsculpture technical team, A1 Graphics and Alisdair at Grit n Polish for the blasted text detail, and Dennis Cameron our wonderful paving installer for his care and eye for detail. We launched each of the sites in June, with a project archive in its final stages due for online launching over the Summer. Special thanks to everyone involved on the Moffat site, set in the Moffat Nature Reserve just off the main road into Moffat, the volunteers there, particularly Eryl and Jon were so key in helping making this part of the project a success. Thanks also to TreeSurv, finally a site that was on their patch! Photographs with thanks to @kirstinmcewanphotography @tsbeall #rememberingtogetherscotland #rememberingtogetherdg #publicart #communitycovidmemorial #dispersedmemorialforest

Remembering Together | The Dispersed Memorial Forest . . . In Dumfries the most natural configuration for our wide roaming site was to create a walking route, with six clusters of trees and individual markers stretching across a gentle one hour loop across both The Crichton and NHS Mountainhall (the old hospital). Each copse of trees is marked with a sandstone way-marker, and bronze inlaid plaque. Stone sourcing and finishing thanks to Hutton Stone and the talented @artistorguk , bronze work supported by the good folks @eswsculpture technical team 🔥, text detailing thanks to @a1graphicsltd and Alisdair at Grit n Polish and install support thanks to @reidkevinalexander and @orangelol92 . Thanks too to everyone who helped us launch the sites with a glorious afternoon of walking, conversation, song and cakes. Each site on the Dumfries trail is unique, with native tree species types selected to best complement the existing planting and discussions with site partners and users. We created a mini route map to help locate each one, so if you’d like a copy let us know. Photographs: @kirstinmcewanphotography . . . #rememberingtogetherscotland #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial #dispersedmemorialforest #publicart @thecrichtontrust @nhs_dg

Remembering Together Dumfries and Galloway | The Dispersed Memorial Forest . . . As our project @rememberingtogetherdg is drawing to a close I thought I’d share each of the completed sites, featuring a portion of The Dispersed Memorial Forest alongside small sculptural markers. First up, Sanquhar - featuring a beautiful oak bench built by @xylo.phil , and a paving and bronze ground-set marker made with support from @eswsculpture technical team and Dennis Cameron, paving installer. We launched each of the sites in June, with a project archive in its final stages due for online launching over the Summer. Special thanks to everyone involved on the Sanquhar site, it’s a beautiful spot and was only possible with the help of many local supporters. If you’re in Sanquhar and fancy a seat, you’ll find it in the park at Bell Crescent/Deer Park Avenue, just off the Southern Upland Way walking path. Most pictures (the best ones!) with thanks to @kirstinmcewanphotography @tsbeall #rememberingtogetherscotland #rememberingtogetherdg #publicart #communitycovidmemorial #dispersedmemorialforest

The rain may have been out watering the trees when we hosted our launch in Sanquhar, but it definitely didn't dampen spirits! We were kindly joined for the official launch and unveiling in Bell Crescent Park by the Sanquhar Primary P5s, to mark the impact of the pandemic on communities and groups of all ages across the region. The students who learnt about the project through an artist's visit to their school attended the afternoon, hosting creative activities, fresh pizza from Kayantics! mobile pizza oven and speeches and conversation from local people. The beautiful new oak bench has been created by craftsmaker Phil Daube, providing a seat to take in the view over the park. Special thanks to Dennis and his team for installing the paving marker for the site. #RememberingTogetherScotland #rememberingtogetherdg #communitycovidmemorial @greenspacescotland @rememberingtogether.scot @dg_unlimited1 @tsbeall @katie_j_and @xylo.phil