Jack Dormand care home unveils Covid-19 memorial plaque

Friends, residents, and staff gathered outside Jack Dormand care home in Horden for a Covid-19 memorial service that ended with the plaque being revealed to attendees.

The group sang a rendition of Amazing Grace and many of those gathered were unable to hold back their tears during a heartfelt performance of Barbara Streisand's The Way We Were.

Read more: People can get £20 worth of food for £5 at Blakelaw Community Centre

@thenorthernecho

Dr Chandy cuts the ribbon unveiling the COVID-19 memorial plaque at Jack Dormand Care Home in Horden, County Durham.

♬ original sound - Northern Echo Darlington

Cutting the ribbon was Dr Joseph Chandy, whose vision it was to build the care home but also to create a memorial to pay tribute and remember those who lost their lives at Jack Dormand from 2020-2022.

Joined by his son Joseph Chandy Jr, the family paid tribute to the staff and former residents, saying: “We should try and remember those whose lives were lost from COVID-19 in the home.”

The family are well known in Horden for their service in the NHS and work at the Sea View Health Centre, built adjacent to Jack Dormand.

Keith Vardy, a nursing assistant, pulled the event together. After working at Jack Dormand for 35 years, Keith admitted he was relieved the service went ahead as planned.

“The service was overwhelming and emotional, but I’m so glad it all went to plan. Everything I wanted to happen, happened and it was brilliant," he said.

“We did this memorial because now has been the perfect time to do it, in the summer, after we were approached by Joseph and Dr Chandy. I’m so glad everybody turned up and it went so well.”

Also present at the memorial was Father Kyle McNeil, of St Mary’s Church close by to the care home in Horden.

Father Kyle read an excerpt of the bible to those present before blessing the memorial with holy water, saying those who passed during the pandemic are now “in peace”.

Following the service, Father Kyle spoke to the Echo about the care home, saying it is at “the centre of the community” in Horden.

He added: “Being here is a great privilege and I remember that time well. The staff here at Jack Dormand work fantastically hard and took great care of the residents at a personal cost to themselves.

“All the emotions people felt at that time have been felt here today too, so it is absolutely a privilege to help unveil this memorial today.”

The home lost 15 residents during the pandemic and was particularly hit hard in January 2021 during the second wave.

This meant that multiple members of staff were off sick suffering from the virus whilst an estimated 90 per cent of residents caught Covid at some point during the two years.

At the centre of proceedings was the manager of Jack Dormand, Marie Shillow, from Easington, who joined the home in 2014.

She said: “Dr Chandy and I worked very closely as it was his vision for the Horden community. We used to have the biggest pit village and then it all changed. It was his vision to have a health centre and a care home together.

“We have always had this close relationship because he understood what it meant. Being at a care home is not about coming to die, it's about starting your next journey and learning what to do next.”

Read next:

• Work to restart on Central Station and historic steam locomotive works
• Carliol Square: Investigation launched after Newcastle fire
• DWP energy bill support: £100m vouchers still left to claim

Get more from The Northern Echo with a Premium Plus Digital Subscription for just £1.50 a week

Delia Kent, a social worker who works in and around Horden, came to see the unveiling and spoke of how moving the whole experience was.

She said: “It was so moving but also quite sad. The home did an amazing job to keep Covid-19 out for as long as I did.

“I think it’s so important to remember those who lost their lives from Covid-19 but also recognise the work that all staff and professionals did at the time.”

As people slowly dispersed, some came forward to lay wreathes of flowers around the newly unveiled plaque before heading inside for cake and tea to celebrate and reflect.