Key workers’ faces will light up trees across Manchester in a TREEmendous thank you

Trees across the city centre are to be illuminated with the faces of key workers in a touching ‘tree tribute’ to Manchester’s key workers and other heroes of the Covid-19 pandemic..

33 trees, known as Sentinels, will glow with the faces of key workers over a series of evenings throughout June.

The Sentinels will create the City of Trees Trail of Living Heroes, including trees in spots like Stevenson Square, St John’s Gardens, Sackville Park and Manchester Cathedral.

The project has been created by Ramsbottom-based Illuminos, an artist duo responsible for some of the digital works seen at the likes of Bluedot festival and Chinese New Year celebrations, together with Hits Radio and City of Trees, a charity that aims to plant a tree for every person living in the city region.

Nominate here.Know someone who’s a real key worker hero? Nominate them to feature as a portrait, digitally projected onto one of 33 trees in Manchester's tree trail. Share a photo of your key worker hero using #LivingHeroes https://t.co/2QLWEhO6HH @hitsradiouk @CityofTreesMcr pic.twitter.com/xquOQyYDvA

— Illuminos (@illuminosvales) June 4, 2020

“It is our response to the coronavirus outbreak, and a way of using our artistic practice as celebration of those people who must continue to work – steadfast and unwavering, through this crisis,” said Rob Vale, one of the Illuminos artists, said of Sentinels. 

“The growth of these urban trees – the green against the grey – remind us of the life force of the many key workers that carry us through these difficult times.

“By forming each tree via video projection into living portraits, their actions can be celebrated – sentinels stood proud in the city.”

Sarah Nurton from City of Trees said: “We hope this will be a fitting way to recognise and celebrate some of Greater Manchester’s amazing key workers.

“Each tree has its own unique character and we aim to match that with those nominated in a truly unique tribute.”

You can nominate key workers for the project, whether they are NHS staff, teachers, delivery drivers or supermarket employees.

Just use the #LivingHeroes hashtag before June 14th with a photo of your nominated key worker on social media.