The UK Covid-19 Inquiry is in Leicester for the first time, with local people invited to share their pandemic experiences with the Inquiry in person.
The Inquiry team will be travelling to the East Midlands as part of a series of nationwide Every Story Matters community events, in which members of the public are invited to meet the team and share first-hand how the pandemic affected them.
Picture credit: UK Covid-19 Inquiry
Every Story Matters is the public’s opportunity to share with the Inquiry the impact the pandemic had on them and their life, without the formality of giving evidence or attending a public hearing.
The Inquiry will be visiting on Saturday, October 26 and will be at Highcross Shopping Centre from 11am until 6pm. Members of the public will be able to speak to Inquiry staff to find out more about Every Story Matters and share their experience of the pandemic in a variety of different ways. Counsellors will also be present to provide emotional support for those who may need it.
Every Story Matters will support the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s legal investigations by providing evidence about the human impact of the pandemic on the UK population. This will help Inquiry chair Baroness Hallett make recommendations for the future.
Inquiry Secretary Ben Connah said: “From day one of the Inquiry we have wanted to hear experiences from all corners of the country, from people in all walks of life. This will ensure we get a full picture of the pandemic’s impact on people living and working across the UK.
“At our Every Story Matters event, people can come down to the Highcross Shopping Centre on Shire’s Lane to meet with the Inquiry team, to have a chat and to tell their story. It’s incredibly important that local people get the chance to inform the work we’re doing.
“Each of us has a unique story to tell about the pandemic. It affected everyone, in family life, in the workplace, in our schools and communities. This is a chance to have your experience feed into the Inquiry and help inform our investigation”
Rob Howard, Director of Public Health for Leicester City Council, said: “Each and every one of us was affected by the covid pandemic, especially in Leicester where we had a longer lockdown than anywhere else in the country, and it is so important that we share our experiences with the Every Story Matters team and have our stories considered as part of the national inquiry.
“I would encourage anyone who would like to share their experiences to drop in at the event at Highcross and speak to the team.”
