Patrick Vernon

National Day of Reflection is to collective reflect on the losses experienced because since the first lockdown began in 2020, hundreds of thousands of people have died and behind the numbers of deaths are real people who have been impacted by the loss of someone.

The 23rd March is the first anniversary of the first UK lockdown and we will be launching the Majonzi grant application which is providing small grants to help families, colleagues, community and faith groups so they can organise memorial events for Black, Asian and other ethnic minoritised individuals who lost their lives during the covid-19 pandemic, and to also help provide free culturally relevant bereavement and grief support to people from Black, Asian and other ethnic minoritised backgrounds.

We will also give an update on the work of BAMEstream and the Ubele Initiative over the past 12 months in response to Covid19, and hear from some of those who we have supported through their grief, loss and bereavement.

On the day we will be supporting the National minute of silence at 12 noon and Shine a light at 8pm – and ask for everyone to come together to light up the night. If you can please stand outside with a light – a candle, a torch, even your phone – to remember someone who’s died and show your support to people going through grief and bereavement.

We also encourage people share what they do on social media using #DayOfReflection.