Members of staff at Conquest Hospital raised funds to place a bench overlooking the Lagoon, as a lasting tribute to the hardworking NHS staff during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Funds were originally raised to provide ‘grab and go’ bags to support the critical care teams, but soon snowballed and with the help of local businesses a bench was also purchased.
Tracy Merrington who works in Health Records said: “At the start of the pandemic my colleagues and I wanted to support the critical care staff at the hospital with ‘grab and go’ food parcels as my sister, Debbie Baker, is a Matron on the Unit.
“It soon snowballed and we were able to help other wards and frontline staff. Everyone has been so very generous. Kings Family Butchers got involved and with contributions from them and their customers we raised over £300 which we thought we would put towards a bench as a lasting tribute for the hardworking NHS during this very difficult time. Thanks to Blackbrooks Garden Centre we got a discount for a bench which now proudly overlooks the Lagoon at the back of the hospital, and has a plaque on it dedicated to all the NHS Heroes in 2020.”