Every story matters – The UK COVID-19 inquiry

The UK COVID-19 inquiry is urging the public to share their experiences of the pandemic in order to properly understand its effects.

BACKGROUND

The UK COVID-19 inquiry was established to evaluate how the UK handled the pandemic and its effects and to identify lessons for the future. The inquiry is now seeking input from individuals across society as part of their every story matters campaign which gives anybody who wants to participate to the UK COVID-19 inquiry the chance to do so.

To make sure everybody gets the chance to tell their story, the inquiry is asking voluntary organisations, and groups that represent people that might have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic, to share information about the campaign.

ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO TAKE PART

There are a variety of ways voluntary organisations can encourage their service users to take part, and the inquiry has put together a partner toolkit to help you share information.

Together, we can inspire a wide range of people to speak up and share their experiences. These experiences will serve as a record of the COVID-19 pandemic for future generations, in addition to informing the inquiry’s recommendations.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Any organisation and community can take part in every story matters by sharing their experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The online form at everystorymatters.co.uk, which is accessible in both English and Welsh, is the main method of responding to the inquiry, you can also share this with your contacts to ensure as many people as possible get involved.

ACCESSIBLE OPTIONS

The following accessible options are available from the Inquiry directly. Individuals can email contact@COVID19.public-inquiry.uk or write to FREEPOST, UK COVID-19 Public Inquiry:

1. Paper form
2. Easy read
3. Braille
4. British sign language
5. Other languages
6. Telephone and language line: available late summer
7. Community listening events – due to take place nationwide later this year

For more information and to fill in the online form, visit everystorymatters.co.uk.