International Women’s Day & The Covid-19 Day of Reflection 2026 

The 2026 International Women’s Day theme this year is Give to Gain. The theme calls on people everywhere to embrace generosity as a force for gender equality. The campaign invites individuals, organisations, and communities to offer time, knowledge, visibility, advocacy, resources and mentorship to help create a world where women and girls can thrive, because when we boost others, we also strengthen families, colleagues, and communities.  

At Devon Air Ambulance, we are fortunate to work alongside exceptional women whose compassion, resilience and expertise are integral to our service. Today, we celebrate their contributions and the countless ways they give every day, through care, leadership, creativity, and through their commitment to our patients and communities.  

One such aspect of leadership and care was initiated by Hannah Gompertz, a member of our Aftercare team. Hannah has made a national contribution by establishing the Yellow Hearts to Remember campaign. Read more about Hannah’s story here.  

The Covid-19 Day of Reflection offers a collective moment to remember those lost and to acknowledge the profound impact of the pandemic on individuals, families, and communities across the UK. 

For us at Devon Air Ambulance, this day is particularly personal as a significant national symbol of Covid remembrance, the yellow heart, was founded by someone within our own service.  

In 2020, our Aftercare Clinician, Hannah Gompertz, alongside her grandfather, originated what would become the Yellow Hearts to Remember campaign. Motivated by the loss of her grandmother, Sheila, to Covid-19, Hannah drew a simple yellow heart and placed it in her window during lockdown, a gesture that soon resonated with thousands across the UK. 

The yellow heart became a symbol of remembrance and solidarity, honouring those who died during the pandemic and supporting those who grieved in isolation. In 2025, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport visited Devon to document the story of the Yellow Hearts to Remember campaign.  

Hannah’s compassionate gesture has since become a national emblem of care. This year, as the Covid-19 Day of Reflection aligns with International Women’s Day, her story embodies the spirit of Give to Gain: an individual act of giving that has expanded into collective healing. 

Hannah says: 

The yellow heart has become a symbol of remembrance for those we lost during the pandemic, and a sign of support for those who were bereaved under such unique and devastating circumstances. It has spread organically across the UK and internationally; I think because the pandemic touched us all in some way and perhaps because the idea came from an ordinary family. It doesn’t feel like my story- it feels like our story.