A HILLEND woman wants a memorial for those who have died from coronavirus to be created in Fife.

Anne Christensen lost her partner of more than 40 years, John Strathie, back in April 2020 after he contracted COVID-19.

Since then, she has struggled to come to terms with his death and believes a communal place to remember would help her and many others in a similar position.

A motion asking for the idea to be looked into was raised at last week's Fife Council meeting by Anne's local councillor, David Barratt.

Anne explained: "I happened to see the tail end of the news and they seemed to be opening a memorial garden at a park in Glasgow and I thought we could have one in Fife.

"There must have been so many deaths here as well and it would give people like myself somewhere to go. I have only been to the cemetery twice because he should not be there. I don't want to go."

Anne, like many during the pandemic, was not able to see John before he passed away and had only three people at his funeral because restrictions at the time only allowed five mourners.

"Before he died, I never got into the hospital. He went away and nobody even knew he had the virus. He kept in good health but he had what he thought was a chest infection and a urine infection.

"He went to hospital. A few days later, I got the consultant on the phone telling me he was not going to make it. He died on his birthday, he was 71.

"I couldn't take in what the consultant was saying to me. I thought they were going to sort him and send him home better but I never saw him again.

"My daughter got to stay with him for a few hours but because I had been in contact with him, I couldn't go.

"I feel if I can help other people to try and get sort of memorial in Fife, that would be a start.

"I am not expecting for it to happen overnight but I feel people would go to it. Fife is a big place and we need something through this area, not just in Glasgow.

"It would mean so much to me and so much to other people. Looking at the parks we have got, there's a lot of places it could be."

Councillors agreed unanimously to an amendment from Labour councillor Judy Hamilton which recognised that the pandemic was an "experience that has pulled communities together in grief as well as in appreciation" and acknowledged that the situation of families and communities in Fife must not be forgotten.

The motion added that it recognised the ongoing ongoing work of an advisory group, which has met since November last year in in partnership with Greenspace Scotland, partners OnFife, Fife Contemporary, Fife Interfaith Group and NHS Fife to commission an artist, to work with local groups, families and communities to co-create a memorial reflective of Fife’s communities.

Such a memorial project, the motion added, should be completed by autumn 2023.