The first phase of this project worked with folk from across the Borders to decide on the form of our memorial, deciding in spring 2023 to design a new tartan. The second phase co-created that design, and sees it woven and distributed to community spaces across our area.

Since the project began, over 700 contributions have helped shape the decision to create a new tartan, and what that looks like. These resulted in two designs which draw on the experiences Borderers shared and the particular colour and design ideas they contributed -- and on which Borderers voted at the end of 2023.

Many people spoke about Borders landscapes: the sea, rivers, lochs and reservoirs; the brilliant skies of 2020’s spring and summer; and the brightness of gorse, broom, heather and forests.

There were references to the uniforms of health and care workers, the masks and warning signs of the pandemic.

Emotionally, people shared loss and grief, while others spoke of hope and new-forged community. The challenges of isolation came up often, not just for those living alone but also for those who gave birth or experienced other milestones they couldn’t share. Guilt came up often, too, as people wished they had been able to do more.

The design draws on colour combinations selected by contributors, and the meaning of those will be different for each person. It incorporates a reference to the five localities of the Borders, because so many people wanted the tartan to be something that joins us across the region.