IT is a campaign which people have taken to their hearts and has been warmly supported.
And now The Herald's Garden of Remembrance campaign to create a memorial to those of who have lost their lives to coronavirus has been given a boost by its 100th donation. It takes our fundraising total a step closer to a milestone of £10,000.
Through generous donations from the public and a local business, the Harry Clarke group of companies, based in Hillington, we have raised £9,291.
The Harry Clarke group became involved after one of its directors lost a close friend, Jim Russell, from Parkhead in Glasgow, to the virus. His devastated fiancee Connie McCready is also supporting the campaign.
Read more: Herald Campaign: A garden of remembrance could provide sunshine and hope as experts sought for design stage
Last month we launched a public fund through GoFundMe with a £50,000 target to create a fitting memorial to Scots who have died from the virus and we are delighted with the response.
It has captured people's imagination and has now inspired some families, who are still grieving the loss of a loved one, to take part in their own fundraising challenges.
Lauren McAdam, from East Kilbride, in South Lanarkshire, lost her father Bryce to the virus. She said she was "blown away" by our campaign and now plans to take on the Three Peaks Challenge, of Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike in Cumbria and Snowdon in Wales, next month to help raise funds.
Our vision is to create a place of solace and calm for friends and family to go to reflect.
Read more: Herald Campaign: ‘Garden of Remembrance will help so many grieving families’
Just days after launching the campaign we were offered a site at Pollok Country Park, by Glasgow City Council leaders, Lord Provost Phil Braat and Council Leader Susan Aitken.
The idea for a memorial, and our vision of creating a memorial cairn with a stone representing the lives of every Scot who has died, stemmed from a project at a Glasgow church.
Rev Neil Galbraith, of Cathcart Old Parish Church, had a cairn created for bereaved families following the first Gulf War.
This week we also moved forward with the next step for the memorial garden following the inaugural meeting of a specially convened steering group.
One of the hopes for the garden is that will offer a ray of sunshine as families remember loved ones.
The steering group is looking to incorporate the colour yellow which has now become associated with those who have lost their lives to the coronavirus.
Steering group member Mr Galbraith said the garden could have a link to the idea of sunshine as a way of highlighting the memorial for generations to come.
Fellow steering group member and gardening expert Dave Allan, who writes for The Herald Magazine, added: "I think the colour of planting is very important and the use of the colour yellow would be very calming.
"I think the idea of water would be important as it can be very soothing."
The campaign to create a garden as a tribute to those in Scotland who have lost their lives is also looking to enlist the help of a landscape architect.
Our aim is to reach the design stage for the memorial garden and bring experts on board. We want to work towards a design that will allow us to present it to the families, friends, park users, and members of the public who will stop and pause at the location.
The steering group is keen to hear from anyone who can offer their help in this particular area of expertise and help us to design our memorial garden.
Donald Martin, editor of The Herald said: “We are delighted to be close to £10k at this early stage and much appreciate the kindness and generosity of all 100 donors so far. We are well on our way to funding a fitting memorial for all those who have tragically lost their lives to coronavirus."
To donate go to: gofundme.com/herald-garden-of-remembrance. You can also send donations via post to The Herald Garden of Remembrance Campaign, Herald & Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG with cheques made payable to The Herald.
If you want to get in touch, email us at memorialgarden@theherald.co.uk
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