Bethan Hier

Have you visited any Covid memorials this #DayofReflection? If you're in Wales, let me know where you went👇

What the UK’s ‘day of reflection’ reveals about COVID memory Memorials, campaigns and a national day all exist, yet agreement on what should be remembered remains elusive.

Memorials, campaigns and a national day all exist, yet agreement on what should be remembered remains elusive.

The 2020-2023 part is not an attempt to put a solid timeframe on the pandemic, but to ensure people have had time to deal with their grief before participating in research. It is a condition of this research's ethical approval.

The COVID-19 #DayofReflection is on Sunday. Do you think we should commemorate the pandemic?

If you meet the criteria below and live in Swansea, let me know what you think about commemorating the pandemic, whether you think we should or not.

forms.office.com/e/RGHj84A1pF

#Abertawe #Swansea

Also getting judged just sharing my research on Covid commemoration publicly!!

Fishguard North East (Pembrokeshire) Council By-Election Result:

🌼 PLC: 33.8% (New)
🔶 LDM: 18.0% (New)
➡️ RFM: 12.7% (New)
🌹 LAB: 11.1% (-47.9)
🙋 Ind: 10.5% (New)
🌳 CON: 9.2% (-31.9)
🙋 Ind: 4.7% (New)

Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
Changes w/ 2022.

The red banner on a the gate at the memorial wall showing the number of covid dead. The figure reads 251,227

Once again, we have put up our banner and updated the number of covid dead. More than a quarter of a million people in the UK have died with covid as a cause of death on their death certificate. A devastating milestone. ❤️

An announcement on the gov UK website. The text reads: Press release Government confirms National Covid Memorial Wall will be preserved The National Covid Memorial Wall will be preserved to remember the lives lost during the pandemic. From: Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Baroness Twycross Published 13 November 2025

The volunteers were at Parliament today to hear the government announce that our beautiful memorial is to be made permanent. It was an emotional day, as we have fought so long and hard to ensure that our beloved dead are not forgotten. We are grateful and happy. ❤️

A signpost that reads: "Coedlan Goffa Hafod y Bwch Commemorative Woodland. Cafodd y goedlan hon ei phlannu er mwyn cofio'r bobl a fu farw yn ystod pandemig COVID-19 yng Nghymru. This woodland was planted to remember those lives lost to the COVID-19 pandemic in Wales."

📣Is there a Covid memorial in your community?📣

I am on the lookout for Covid memorials in #Wales, so let me know if there's one near you - big or small!

This sign is from the Hafod y Bwch Commemorative Woodland near Wrexham🌳

Caerphilly Senedd By-Election Result:

🌼 PLC: 47.4% (+19.0)
➡️ REF: 36.0% (+34.2)
🌹 LAB: 11.0% (-34.9)
🌳 CON: 2.0% (-15.3)
🌍 GRN: 1.5% (New)
🔶 LDM: 1.5% (-1.2)
🐉 GWL: 0.3% (New)
💷 UKIP: 0.2% (New)

Plaid Cymru GAIN from Labour.
Changes w/ 2021.

The advice is "there is not a reason to mention Covid" because "it makes people think of some of the worst times in our recent history." And I get that it's certainly a potential trigger. But what does it mean if authors are being advised to strip Covid out of our understanding of the world?

Poster stating: Have you been involved in creating a Covid memorial either in Wales or UK-wide? I'd love to hear about it! Email me at b.m.hier@swansea.ac.uk for more info or to get involved.

📣PARTICIPANTS WANTED📣 I'm interviewing people who have been involved in creating Covid memorials in Wales or UK-wide Covid memorials for my PhD. We'll discuss the reasons for making a memorial and narratives of the pandemic. Email or message me for more info!
#phdsky #covidresearch

After 160 years of Welsh settlement in Patagonia, Indigenous voices are finally being heard The story of Welsh Patagonia is not quite the tale of settler and indigenous harmony that has always been told.

The story of Welsh Patagonia is not quite the tale of settler and indigenous harmony that has always been told.

The Inquiry has heard more disturbing evidence about a blanket 'do not resuscitate' policy for anybody over 70 in care homes.

Letters were sent by GPs, "essentially telling people that they will be left to die".

#CovidInquiry

LIVE: Media briefing on global health issues with Dr Tedros YouTube video by World Health Organization (WHO)

1/2 In @drtedros.who.int WHO's latest media briefing:

"We cannot talk about COVID-19 in the past tense...It continues to evolve, it continues to kill, and millions of people continue to live with post COVID-19 condition, or long-COVID."

www.youtube.com/watch?v=hbr2...

A picture of the wall taken from Westminster Bridge

The National Covid Memorial Wall is now a registered charity! ❤️🥳

MASS LOBBY Against Benefit Cuts💥

📅21st May
⏰12-4pm
📍Westminster Lobby, Jubilee Room

Our chance to push MPs to vote against these cuts, to show the strength of support and to take up visible space in Westminster.

Join us! www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/mass-lo...

Fab few days at the @rgsibg.bsky.social Postgrad Forum Mid-Term Conference! Great place to present my work and I met some lovely people🌍
#geosky #phdsky

Disability Rights UK is deeply saddened by the UK Supreme Court’s ruling that declares trans women are not 'biological women'. As part of a movement that has always called for ‘nothing about us without us’ – we’re particularly concerned by the court’s exclusion of Trans voices in their decision, and their failure to be led by the lived experience of one of society’s most silenced groups. Decisions about any group’s rights should never be made without the involvement of those most impacted. We stand in solidarity with the Trans community as they experience an onslaught of rights erosions and attacks on their lives. No marginalised group faces injustice in a silo – systemic barriers and discrimination impact all of us. None of us are free until all of us are free. Around half of Trans people are also Disabled. Government policies already place disproportionate barriers on accessing vital healthcare, and now this ruling also erodes their protections against discrimination. Setting the precedent that it’s okay to weaken the rights of one group, undermines everyone else's rights. Prioritising a bio-essentialist view of gender harms everyone, especially Disabled people. A person’s anatomy, hormone levels, or ability to conceive does not define whether they are a ‘real’ woman.

🚨DR UK's Statement Opposing the Supreme Court's Ruling on 'Biological Sex'

'We stand in solidarity with the Trans community as they experience an onslaught of rights erosions and attacks on their lives.'

Read our full statement here: www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/disabil...

Add your name 📢 Cuts to disability benefits would be catastrophic

UK people, PLEASE add your name to this open letter asking the government not to cut disability payments

action.versusarthritis.org/s/7956436/6b...

Our lovely #TVCE member @mun-tonsi.net is looking for study participants.
#AcademicSky 🌈🎓
Check it out
⬇️⬇️

CW

A reminder - this has scared a lot of people. Disabled people, carers, loved ones are suffering and will suffer. Suicide hot-lines are reporting a spike in calls, lots of people are deeply re-traumatised. 💔

This does not need to happen. Austerity is a choice. And an inhumane one at that.

Please make it stop!

🚨 Let’s set the record straight.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) is NOT an out-of-work benefit. It's a vital lifeline designed to support disabled people with the extra costs of disability. 1/

Amazing, thank you for replying!

Are there any plans to display the banner?

Screenshot showing a video with the onscreen shot being of a piece of dark blue fabric on which is a piece of pink and white striped fabric with the word Disappeared on it. Below the video image it says Top chat. Comments below that include: I am crying already. Me too, so powerful - imagine it in person! So powerful. Emotionally finished for the weekend now.. but so grateful to be watching this... beautiful and sad. We are not alone, so touching for all of us. It's so emotional already. Feel seen and validated just watching this! Thank you Long Covid Support! Wes you should watch this.

Individual pieces from our #LongCovid Support Banner are shown in a video at our event. The comments online say it all. #LongCovidAwarenessDay

I am crying already

So powerful

We are not alone

Feel seen and validated just watching this! Thank you Long Covid Support!

@longcovidsupport.bsky.social your launch today has been moving to watch and the banner sections are so poignant💚 it is a wonderful archive of people's experiences of Long Covid
#longcovidawareness

Today, less than 48 hours before our #DayOfReflection obervance at the wall, we had the sad task of updating the number of covid dead. ❤️

Black background with silver frame. Right half of image contains a large grey coloured heart with silver edging. Beneath the heart is a silver reflection. In the top left corner is the Long Covid Support logo and website address www.longcovid.org. Text in large white letters says COVID 19 DAY OF REFLECTION. Below it says hashtag COVID IS NOT OVER. Across the bottom in small lettering it says Long Covid Support is a registered charity in England and Wales 1198938.

On Covid-19 #DayofReflection we remember all those we have lost, we think of the millions suffering now with #LongCovid, and we remind the world that Covid Is Not Over.