Covid lockdown anniversary: Wales remembers those lost to virus

Doorstep vigils have taken place across Wales and historical buildings have been lit up yellow to remember those who have died from Covid-19.

People were asked to light up their homes on the one-year anniversary of the start of the first UK lockdown.

A minute's silence at noon was followed by a ceremony at the Senedd led by the first minister and party leaders.

More than 125,000 people in the UK have died with Covid, with more than 7,500 of those deaths in Wales.

The Wales National Coronavirus Commemorative Event, presented by BBC News presenter Huw Edwards, was held to remember those who have died with Covid-19 and pay tribute to health and care workers.

The event featured a series of videos by the Welsh government and heard from political leaders, poets and singers.

Earlier, First Minister Mark Drakeford joined colleagues to observe the minute's silence on the steps of the Welsh government's offices in Cathays Park, Cardiff.

He said Wales "came together as a nation" during the "darkest times" of the coronavirus pandemic and that it was right to focus on the "huge loss of life".

"Our thoughts are with all the families who are mourning the loss of a loved one," he said.

"Over the last year, we've heard too many sad stories.

"But we've also heard inspiring tales of resilience, bravery and determination from every part of Wales as communities have support each other.

"And our everyday heroes - from bus drivers and shop workers to intensive care nurses and teachers - keeping on keeping us safe."

He said the anniversary was taking place "with a sense of hope".

"Our fantastic vaccine programme is protecting thousands of people every day and we're relaxing the restrictions we have lived with for so long," he continued.

"As the first shoots of spring appear, we can all have real hope that this year will be so much better than the last."

Speaking during First Minister's Questions in the Senedd, the Conservative group leader in the Welsh Parliament, Andrew RT Davies, said it was right that the grief families must be feeling across the whole of Wales was "reflected today by all members of the Senedd, but also of all communities across the length and breadth of Wales".

"But we've also seen huge acts of kindness that have been so inspirational, both community spirited, kindness and compassion combined, that has carried many people through this crisis," he said.

Before the minute's silence earlier, Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said: "Today, one year on, my thoughts are with all who have lost loved ones to this terrible virus that changed all of our lives forever."

So far in the year since the pandemic began, there have been 6,123 more deaths in Wales than we would normally have expected to see, according to latest data from the Office for National Statistics.

Deaths involving Covid make up 19.6% of all deaths in Wales, slightly fewer than the proportion in England.

The Covid-19 Families Wales group - which supports about 1,300 people who have lost loved ones - asked for monuments to be lit up in tribute.

"We offer free counselling, but also support people by saying 'we know how you feel'," said Andrea Williams who helped set the group up.

"If someone says 'I can't sleep', someone else may reply that they're going through the same thing.

"Other people may say 'I feel guilty, I shouldn't have sent him to hospital'. It's all the questions that go around your head."

Mrs Williams, from Sully, Vale of Glamorgan, helped set up the group after losing her husband Mark, 58, at the start of the pandemic.

She said: "He was fit and well, and a kayaker. The media message wasn't right (at the start of the pandemic), saying it was mainly old and overweight people.

"It has helped me, and others in the group, knowing others feel the same.

"We are taking everything at our own pace and we are going to light up Wales to remember."

"My dad isn't coming back so that's what's been really, really hard," said Bethan Hayes, who lost her 59-year-old father Keith to Covid in January.

"He really was my world, my best friend," said the 29-year-old from Barry.

"Since this has happened, my world's just been torn into two."

She is calling on people to take part in the day of reflection with yellow hearts.

"I really do think this initiative is amazing," she said.

"I want the yellow heart to now be like the new symbol... so when we look at the rainbow, we see that's about the NHS and positivity and hope."

Kirsty Fox-Smith, from Rogerstone, Newport, has been making yellow hearts for members of the Covid-19 Families Wales group after losing her dad, Andrew Payne, 58, in January.

Mr Payne had a number of health issues after having a kidney transplant and diabetes, and told his family he was in the "prime box" if he caught it.

However, they vowed to make sure he did not, which made it a shock when he died.

"Every window upstairs [in my house] that faces on to the road has hearts, which light up every day," Mrs Fox-Smith said.

"Every neighbour on the whole row, eight houses, have yellow hearts as well. Dad lived on the same estate and everyone is gutted."

Rhondda Cynon Taf has been the worst hit local authority in Wales, with 339.8 deaths per 100,000 people compared with a rate of 196.4 across the country.

Tonyrefail has been particularly badly affected, with it having the most deaths of Wales' 400 localities, and is second overall once population is taken into account.

But adversity has brought the community together, with resident Dawn Parkin saying: "They have all come together like a territorial army. I'm an Army officer, and they really have been like troops on the ground."

When Covid hit and the community centre closed, her garage became the local foodbank helping hundreds, before people started donating clothes, prams, anything for those who could not get out.

Residents then started coming up with ideas to keep spirits up - such as a Tonyrefail Bake Off competition, and cooking nights, where people would all buy the same ingredients and create meals at home following the same instructions.

It has helped keep spirits up, with funeral director Huw Parkman saying at the peak of the outbreak he would have up to 20 services a week to organise.

"Some of these funerals would've had several hundred people there," he said.

"The death of a person in their 40s and 50s could be the hardest ones, because only immediate family could go, which can leave loved ones behind."

James Thomas' burger van Beefy's Baps did not qualify for any government grants as it is a relatively new business, so instead, he decided to focus his energies on helping people.

"It spiralled and I was soon covering all of Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch," Mr Thomas said.

"About 3,600 meals we've given for free, including in local nursing homes."

In total, he has helped raise £16,000 in donations, which funded selection boxes for children at Christmas, £3,000 for homeless charities, plus Easter eggs for children's charities.

"It's really important for the older people who weren't getting to see anyone. Speaking to some, they were saying it [lockdown] didn't make any difference as they weren't seeing anyone anyway. But for others it made a massive difference," he added.

"It's been bad in a lot of ways with a lot of deaths. A lot of people I know have died, but a lot about it [how people have come together] has been really good.

"I keep thinking 'are we going to stop' [with the free meals], but we just can't."

Meanwhile, two communities in north Wales - Llandudno Junction South and Llasanffraid Glan Conwy, and Rhyl South West - have registered no deaths at all with Covid during the past 12 months.

Luck and following lockdown rules has helped keep the virus out of Llansanffraid Glan Conwy, according to local pub and cafe owner Sylvia Hughes.

"We've been one of the lucky ones, on the whole," said Ms Hughes, who runs the Cross Keys pub and Caffi Llan in the village.

"It is partly down to how well most people have complied with rules in the village, like no mass parties or gatherings.

"We've had the odd little Covid incident but nothing major."

However Ms Hughes said the restrictions were "a nightmare" for her businesses and many were hoping for "normality" soon.

Sharon Hutton owns the Sunrize tanning salon in Rhyl South West, and said she felt "everyone had really come together" throughout the lockdowns.

"Housing estates were doing social distancing bingo on drive ways at one point, people organising zoom calls and virtual quizzes - everyone has been trying to be as united as possible," she said.

The 58-year-old said while it had been "frustrating" as a salon owner, she had seen new interest from customers who want to "feel good" and "get back to normality".

She said phone calls with customers showed many people were "itching" to get out into the town again.

Two weeks ago, Wales passed the threshold for "trigger" figures for a lockdown, with its case rate and test positivity rate.

Currently Wales has an average weekly case rate of 42 per 100,000 people in the population - below the 50 cases threshold, and its lowest point since 17 September last year.

Confirmed and suspected cases are down to a fifth of Wales' record levels in late December and back to numbers last seen in September.

The number of people who have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine now stands at 1,273,186 - a rise of 14,417 on the previous day.

Of that total, 346,058 people have now had a second dose.

Latest figures show there were no new Covid admissions in both Cwm Taf Morgannwg and Swansea Bay hospitals on Monday.

The number of Covid patients in hospital beds in Wales stands at 749, according to NHS Wales figures - and the daily average is the lowest since 21 October.

Wales' local authority with the highest case rates for the seven-day period up until 18 March remains Merthyr Tydfil at 111 cases per 100,000, although it has fallen from 121 the previous day.

The lowest case rates are seen in Ceredigion (11), Monmouthshire (down from 15.9 to 13.7) and Powys (15.1).