RAF Engineering unveil new covid monument in Vulcan Park, Workington

West Cumbria’s R.A.F Engineering along with Workington Town Council welcomed guests to the grand unveiling of the ‘Nightingale Monument’ in Vulcans Park on Thursday, March 23 which was sponsored and manufactured by the local company.

R.A.F manufactures parts for a wide variety of local firms, including fellow Workington engineering firm TSP Engineering, James Fisher Nuclear & Iggesund, as well as working with clients beyond the county, such as supplying parts for use in the steelmaking process to Tata Steel at Port Talbot.

The company have a dedicated focus on employing local people, upskilling them and providing value to the community. R.A.F currently employs 15 members of staff, of which two are apprentices.

Aneta speaking at the unveiling of the covid monument (Image: Supplied)

R.A.F’s MD Rafal Gibki said he’s proud that his firm were able to be involved and lead on such a poignant project,he said:  “The nightingale monument started as a lockdown objective in the summer of 2020; like many companies, business slowed down, staff were furloughed to stay safe, and the world became a worrying place.

"The monument is there to remember those we lost, families who are still suffering today and to thank everyone who made sacrifices to help those in need.”

The unveiling ceremony was a moving reminder of how far the world has come since the pandemic, and the turnout of support from the local community showed just how important this memorial is to the people of Workington.

People of all ages attended the ceremony, including Victoria Infants School from which a student aided a young police cadet in planting a time capsule to remind those in the future of what life during COVID19 was like.

The Nightingale monument in Vulcans Park (Image: Supplied)

The stones surrounding the monument were painted during the pandemic by children from local schools, framing the Nightingale Monument with colour and happiness.

Rafal added: “The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted on millions of people and businesses across the world. I had the job of keeping our Workington based engineering company alive during these hard times, through my passion of engineering I knew I had to give something back to the community and that’s when the idea of the monument came about, a lot of time and effort went into producing the monument, I am very proud to of being able to donate the monument to my local community.”