THE UK COVID-19 Inquiry will be in Llandudno for the first time later this week, with residents invited to share their pandemic experiences in-person.

The inquiry team will be travelling to Llandudno as part of a series of nationwide Every Story Matters community events, in which members of the public are invited to meet the team and share first-hand how the pandemic affected them.

Every Story Matters is the public’s opportunity to share with the inquiry the impact the pandemic had on them and their lives, without the formality of giving evidence or attending a public hearing.

The inquiry will be held at Trinity Community Centre, on Trinity Avenue, on Thursday (June 20) from 10am to 4.30pm. 

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Members of the public will be able to speak to inquiry staff to find out more about Every Story Matters and share their experiences in a variety of different ways.

Counsellors will also be present to provide emotional support for those who may need it.

Every Story Matters will support the inquiry’s investigations by providing evidence about the human impact of the pandemic on the UK population.

This will help the inquiry’s chair, Baroness Hallett, make recommendations for the future.

Inquiry secretary, Ben Connah, said: “The inquiry must hear experiences from all corners of the country to ensure we get a full picture of the pandemic’s impact on people living and working across the UK.

“At our Every Story Matters event this week, people can come down to the Trinity Community Centre to have a chat with us, and I really would encourage people to come and meet us so they can inform the work we’re doing.

“Each of us has a unique story to tell about the pandemic. We want to know how it affected your life, your family’s life, those you cared for, whether it was at work, in school or at home.

“No matter what your experience or what you have to say, we really want to hear it.”

Margaret Williams, from South Wales, lost her mother, a care home resident, during the pandemic.

She said: "I've shared my experience with Every Story Matters as it's important that those bereaved, like me, who lost loved ones to COVID in care homes, are heard by the inquiry.

“It is vital that our experiences are included. Our loved ones and the care staff felt unsupported during the pandemic, both medically and by those in power. Doctors would not visit.

“I hope that the inquiry's forensic investigation will include our traumatic experiences and ensure that this lack of planning and support can never happen again."