Pandemic heroes' portraits to be pasted up in Bridgwater
- Published
Becky Wright, a psychotherapist, is being honoured for helping farmers with their mental health during the pandemic
A woman who helped depressed farmers and a harpist who played 33 concerts to her lockdown neighbours are among those being honoured in a giant mural.
A dozen large portraits of Bridgwater's pandemic heroes are being pasted-up in the town in the next few weeks.
The project aims to highlight people who helped others during the pandemic but "would not normally be recognised".
Organiser Irena Hubble-Brezowski said: "They are just ordinary people who did what they thought was the right thing."
The photographic mural is part of a community project celebrating the ways people came together to cope during the pandemic.
Local heroes were nominated for what they had done, from the practical and creative "all the way down to the smallest but meaningful gestures of solidarity".
Harpist Elaine Thorneycroft-Gibb played 33 concerts to her lockdown neighbours
Kelly Llewelyn, who runs the Gift of Giving Shoebox Appeal, said it was "just an honour"
Ms Hubble-Brezowski said it had been "quite difficult" in some cases to persuade people they should be recognised.
"The people in question are not the people going around trumpeting how wonderful they've been during the pandemic," she said.
"It's a tribute to them that they don't really feel like they should be going on display."
Kelly Llewelyn, who runs the The Gift of Giving Shoebox Appeal, said it was "just an honour".
"We worked with all the local schools in Bridgwater," she said.
"And throughout the time of the pandemic, we provided loads of food hampers for children and adults."
Allow X content?
This article contains content provided by X. We ask for your permission before anything is loaded, as they may be using cookies and other technologies. You may want to read X’s cookie policy, external and privacy policy, external before accepting. To view this content choose ‘accept and continue’.
Becky Wright, a psychotherapist, helped farmers with their mental health during the pandemic.
"Those social places, where they would normally meet have been really strained," she said.
"We haven't had the markets like we would normally have, so that feeling of isolation has been very, very difficult."
Harpist Elaine Thorneycroft-Gibb played a number of concerts for her neighbours.
"I know how powerful music is, especially when you're suffering," she said.
"Words don't do it but music has that power."
The portraits will go on public display in the next few weeks.
Follow BBC West on Facebook, external, Twitter, external and Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to: bristol@bbc.co.uk , external