As the UK prepares to mark the COVID‑19 Day of Reflection on 8 March 2026, the Yellow Hearts to Remember Campaign remains one of the most powerful and unifying symbols of remembrance to emerge from the pandemic.
Co‑founded by SWASFT Paramedic Hannah Gompertz and her grandfather David, the campaign grew from a deeply personal loss and a determination to ensure that those who died are remembered with dignity, compassion and humanity.
Hannah’s grandmother, Sheila, died from COVID‑19 on Easter Sunday 2020. In the days that followed, David expressed his sadness that daily government briefings reduced the deceased to numbers on a screen.
Remembering the wartime tradition of tying yellow ribbons around door handles for missing loved ones, he suggested a similar gesture. With ribbons unavailable during lockdown, Hannah drew a yellow heart and placed it in her window. That simple act resonated across the country, and soon yellow hearts appeared in windows, on doorsteps and across social media, becoming a national symbol of remembrance.
Reflecting on the campaign’s purpose, Hannah says:
I started this group so people could share their yellow hearts, each one representing a family who has lost someone during the pandemic. The yellow heart has become a national symbol of remembrance and solidarity that has now been recognised by the UK Government.
I hope people feel able to share their experiences or simply take comfort in knowing they are not alone. Everyone is welcome – whether you have lost someone or not – because we can all support each other and help ensure our loved ones are remembered as more than just statistics.
On this year’s COVID-19 Day of Reflection, communities across the UK will once again come together to honour those who died during the pandemic.
From wearing yellow heart badges to taking part in local remembrance events, the campaign ensures that every life lost is remembered with love, respect and tenderness.
A short film about the Yellow Hearts to Remember Campaign can be viewed on Facebook here.
More information about the national Day of Reflection is available here.
