Grieving Wigan father's Covid-19 poster campaign

Marcus Walsh, 46, has been making posters warning people to “Keep Wigan safe”, and suffered his own loss in May when his son Gaz died of the killer bug at the age of just 27.

Big-hearted Mr Walsh was left further devastated when yobs tore off one of the posters he had put up on his window last week to show the community his work.

Fortunately Mr Walsh, who has made and delivered hundreds of posters around Springfield despite being on benefits and not working, has since found the poster and put it back up.

Speaking of the importance of his work, the Diggle Street resident said: “I’ve been doing things since March when the lockdown started and started off making a few rainbow posters and then chalked art work outside the Co-Op and Premier stores.

“I was also giving hand sanitisers to staff at the Co-Op and Premier and buying cakes to thank them as key workers.”

It was following the death of his son and when the first lockdown had started to ease that Mr Walsh took to making and delivering “Keep Wigan safe” posters.

So far, he has delivered posters through around 1,100 household doors and shops in Springfield, which has seen people stick them up on their windows, and he plans to keep going, wishing that he could deliver further afield.

He said: “My son Gaz was living and working in New York at the time and he died of Covid at 27 and it was very quick, just before my birthday in May.

“This is what really inspired me to carry on as this is a deadly condition and after the lockdown had eased, people started treating the virus as if it had gone away when it still hasn’t this day, so people still need to keep safe and follow the rules.

“It costs £45 a go for 300 of these posters but it worth it and I plan to carry on. It was disappointing when one of the posters that I’d put on my window was ripped off but a neighbour found it for me and has put it back up now.”

He added: “It would be great to deliver in other areas of Wigan but that’s difficult not being able to drive and having to walk but I’ll keep going.”

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