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First Minister leads tributes at Covid ceremony

PA Media Swinney wearing a dark suit and yellow tie carries a multicoloured wreath of flowers as people walk behind him.PA Media
John Swinney laid a wreath at the ceremony on Glasgow Green

First Minister John Swinney has led commemorations in Scotland to mark the fifth anniversary of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Swinney laid a wreath as bereaved families gathered at Glasgow Green as part of a UK-wide day of reflection.

A piper led mourners through the park before a choir sang at the bandstand, with songs including Imagine by John Lennon.

In his speech, Swinney paid tribute to the "sacrifices of frontline workers who kept us safe" during the pandemic.

At noon a minute's silence was held then five white doves were released to mark each year since the outbreak.

Mourners carried framed photographs of those who died in the pandemic.

PA Media A man in a kilt playing the bagpipes, with John swinney and a small crowd of people walking behind.PA Media
A piper leads mourners through Glasgow Green, with the first minister among them
A close up of photos of the covid dead and flowers lying on the ground in a park. The flowers are almost all yellow and sunlight can be seen hitting the ground through trees in the background.
Families laid a single yellow rose to remember loved ones
PA Media A group of people carrying yellow roses and papers, looking solem, with a child in a buggy on the left of shotPA Media
At minute's silence was held on Glasgow Green at noon

The first minister said that between 2020 and 2023, Covid was listed on 17,000 death certificates in Scotland.

He read a poem by Scottish writer William Soutar, which said: "End is in beginning, and in beginning end, death is not loss, nor life winning, but each and to each is friend."

Swinney said: "There's something particularly beautiful about being in the warm Glasgow sunshine, of all of us able to together to support each other, that reflects the togetherness of all of us in our society.

"At the time it was difficult or impossible for people to be supported by others, because of the restrictions."

A woman with black hair and a black jacket and yellow top outdoors head and shoulders shot with blurry background
Connie McCready, of Covid-19 Families Scotland, lost her fiance in May 2020

The ceremony was organised by Connie McCready, co-founder of Covid-19 Families Scotland.

Ms McCready's fiance Jim Russell, 51, died in May 2020 after spending 35 days in hospital.

He was one of many people remembered at Glasgow Green with single yellow roses laid by mourners.

Ms McCready said: "This day of reflection is a time to remember that behind every statistic, there is a person.

"For every family member and community affected, we reflect on their pain, their love and their enduring grief."