This Thursday, Bath will host A Vigil of Grief & Love: an 18-hour spoken memorial to honour the lives of Palestinian children killed in the ongoing war in Gaza. Among those taking part will be Green Party councillors Joanna Wright and Saskia Heijltjes, who will join local residents in reading aloud the names of the children throughout the day.
Taking place from 7am on 3 July until 1am on 4 July at the Rebecca Fountain by Bath Abbey, the vigil will involve members of the public reading aloud the names of thousands of children killed in the conflict. Participants have signed up for 15-minute time slots throughout the day, and a book of mourning will be available for those who wish to leave messages.
The action follows in the footsteps of the Choose Love vigil held outside Parliament in May, during which the names of all 15,613 known Palestinian children killed in Gaza were read out over 18 continuous hours. As organisers said at the time:
“Every single one of those names was someone’s universe.”
Green Party councillors Joanna Wright and Saskia Heijltjes will join local residents in taking part.
Cllr Joanna Wright, Leader of the Green Group on Bath and North East Somerset Council, said:
“We join this vigil as an act of remembrance and solidarity. Every child’s name represents an unimaginable loss, and every voice raised is a call not to look away. In the face of this horror, our responsibility is to bear witness and demand change.”
The Green Group has consistently called for action from the Council on the humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In July 2024, a Green-led Peace Motion was passed unanimously, committing Bath & North East Somerset Council to supporting a ceasefire, humanitarian aid, refugee protection and local community solidarity.
However, in May 2025, the Green Group formally requested an update from the Council on implementation of the motion. They expressed concern that, beyond flying the UN flag for one week in September, little progress had been made—and that residents deserved greater transparency and leadership.
Cllr Saskia Heijltjes said:
“This is about human dignity. The vigil allows us to come together, hold space for grief, and renew our commitment to peace. Local people care deeply, and our institutions should reflect that.”