Mercury Theatre To Host Covid Commemoration Concert In Partnership With Colchester Borough Council

Mercury Theatre announces Commemoration - Remembering and Celebrating the Loves, Lives and Losses of the Last Two Years; a programme of activities and live performances, culminating in a concert to commemorate the lives, loves, and losses of the pandemic. The event takes place at the Mercury Theatre in partnership with Colchester Borough Council and developed together with High Steward of Colchester Sir Bob Russell, The Bishop of Colchester Roger Morris, Hunnaball Family Funeral Group, and the Colchester Garrison, on Saturday 26 March.

Between January 2020 and October 2021, there were 433 Covid related deaths in Colchester, making up around 14 percent of all deaths during that period and the Commemoration aims to bring people together to remember those who passed, and thank all those who helped support those suffering from Covid.

Special events outside the Mercury are also planned throughout the day, ahead of the evening concert. Activities, which begin at 12noon and run until 4pm, include the planting of 15,000 snowdrops, donated by Colchester Borough Homes, on a green space between the theatre and Roman Wall; live band performances, and a board for people to pin personal thoughts and messages.

Evening guests will be entertained by a String Quartet, from 6.30pm, ahead of the main concert, which will be compèred by BBC Essex presenters Sonia Watson and Ben Fryer. The show will feature speakers and performers from the Colchester community, the British Army Band Colchester, Funky Voices Choir, and the Mercury Young Company.

The event will be live streamed via Colchester Borough Council's YouTube channel, and the show will also be live captioned for those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The Mayor of Colchester, Cllr Robert Davidson, said: "The last two years have been a very difficult and a trying period for all of us and it is right that we have time to remember those we have lost and thank those key services and our communities who have unselfishly helped support each other through the pandemic. This performance promises to be a poignant and uplifting reminder of how we all came together to support each other and that, while we are still living with Covid, Colchester can look forward to a better future. We want as many people as possible to be able to watch the event when it is being staged and we encourage community groups and others to look at staging events where it can be streamed live. We hope many take this opportunity to do just that, so we can all come together in an amazing way for a special day of commemoration."

Steve Mannix, Executive Director of the Mercury, added: "I'm delighted that the Mercury is working with Colchester Borough Council to create this important event for Colchester. It comes at a time when we're moving forwards after the terrible losses and sacrifices that we faced during the two years of the pandemic. We want to recognise and celebrate the achievements our community members, who worked tirelessly during the impact of lockdowns to protect our friends and family. We are looking forward to welcoming special guests and successful ballot applicants to the special performance in our revamped theatre later this month."