Engagement Through Webinars
We recognise the significance of keeping you engaged and informed throughout this process. Our recent webinars were designed to review our progress, present the proposed site and guiding principles for the UK Memorial, and, most importantly, to gather your invaluable feedback.
If you were unable to attend, or if you wish to revisit the presentations, recordings of the webinars held on 1st July and 30th July are available for your viewing.
Additionally, we aim to provide a written summary encapsulating the key information shared during these sessions.
The Role of the Infected Blood Memorial Committee
The webinar commenced with an overview of the Committee’s work to date. Established in October 2025, the Memorial Committee comprises individuals with direct lived experiences, representing all transmission routes across the four nations of the UK.
Since its formation, the Committee has concentrated on organising two significant commemorative events:
- 19 November 2025 (Church House, London): This event initiated a national dialogue on memorialisation, seeking early community insights on themes, locations, and emotions that the community desires the memorial to encapsulate.
- 19 May 2026 (St Paul’s Cathedral): A service was held on the eve of the second anniversary of the Inquiry report, honouring all those affected by the contaminated blood scandal.
Determining the UK Memorial’s Location
The Committee is now shifting its focus towards the establishment of the Infected Blood Memorials. Following Sir Brian’s recommendations, memorials will be constructed in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and England, with an additional memorial at Treloar’s school. The Inquiry’s Memorial is now permanently located at Manchester University.
Given that separate memorials are either in place or planned for Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Committee has resolved that the primary UK Memorial should be situated in England. However, further deliberation is required to determine the specific location within England.
During the webinar, we presented our current hypothesis regarding the UK Memorial’s location, suggesting London as a potential site based on the evidence collected thus far. Feedback from the community indicates that no single location would meet the approval of every member; however, London has emerged as the preferred site overall.
Feedback gathered prior to the Church House event demonstrated that only two respondents opposed the idea of a memorial in London, while numerous others expressed the desire for memorials in various regions across the UK. The Committee is committed to addressing these wishes through the establishment of memorials in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and at Treloar’s school.
Proposed Guiding Principles for the Memorial
The Committee has drafted a set of guiding principles to underpin the UK Memorial. These principles are intended to articulate the community’s aspirations for what the memorial should represent and achieve.
Moreover, these principles will provide a valuable framework for the design team chosen to create the memorial, assisting them in understanding the feelings the community wishes to evoke during visits and guiding their design choices.
The feedback collected during the Church House event served as a foundation for developing these principles, resulting in the drafts presented today, which reflect the community’s input.
Five guiding principles have been suggested for the UK Memorial:
- Pillar 1: Truth, Justice, and Reflection
- Pillar 2: Remembrance and Recognition
- Pillar 3: Inclusivity and UK-Wide Accessibility
- Pillar 4: A Living and Evolving Space
- Pillar 5: Transparency and Stewardship
Your Feedback is Invaluable
We are committed to ensuring that this memorial genuinely reflects the needs and desires of those affected. The complete texts of the proposed guiding principles can be found in the questionnaire linked below.
We encourage you to review them and share your insights by completing our questionnaire by Monday 10th August.
We understand that not everyone has online access; therefore, if you know anyone who would like to provide feedback, we would greatly appreciate your assistance in gathering their thoughts.