A Stoke Newington street’s vigil for coronavirus victims and their families has been lighting up Hackney every Sunday at 9pm.

Maria Dallow felt the need to do something to honour and remember the thousands of people in the UK and around the world who have lost their lives to Covid-19 and to support their family members, friends and loved ones.

She told the Gazette: ““When I was reminding people to clap for our carers somebody said to me: ‘But what about the people who have died?’

It really went into my heart and I thought: “Oh my god what about those people?”

Inspired by the Clap For Our Carers campaign, which calls on people to applaud the NHS every week, she asked her neighbours on a Whatsapp group to join her in doing something similar for the victims of coronavirus.

Now the Stoke Newington residents take part in a Vigil for the Victims every Sunday lighting candles on their doors-steps and placing torches at their windows whilst they observe two-minutes of silence.

“It’s really moving to stand as a nation in silence and remembrance. I think we need that,” said Maria.

She wants more people to take part in the vigil and has already heard of people participating as far away as Kent and Scotland.

Maria has put up flyers in streets and parks around Hackney as well as in fruit and veg shops and her local butchers to get more people involved in honouring people who have died after contracting Covid-19.

Follow the Vigil For The Victims campaign on instagram @vigil_for_the_victims and #vigilforthevictims to help spread the word.

For the latest coronavirus news from Hackney and across London follow our live blog here, visit our corona virus page, or join our Facebook group here.

Or to find more groups, networks and organisations like this in Hackney providing support during the Coronavirus lockdown visit our There With You Essential List.