Inspired move
BROTHER’S MOVING VISIT TO HOSPTAL FIRES THEM UP FOR THREE MARATHON FUNDRAISING MISSION
MOST of us are stepping outside of our homes or standing at our windows every Thursday night at 8pm to join the nation in a big clap for NHS workers.
It’s an amazing way to show how thankful we are to each and every person risking their lives working on the frontline to fight coronavirus.
But what will happen when this is all over? When the lockdown starts to ease and, eventually, this awful pandemic becomes part of our history rather than our present?
Rafferty Collis from Isleworth, Hounslow believed we should find a way to commemorate the courageous and honorable work that NHS staff are doing forever.
The 13-year-old had an idea while out shopping for his elderly relatives. “I was out shopping for my Grandparents in Chiswick on Friday and saw the gold post box outside the Chiswick Town Hall,” he explained.
“It made me think that there should be something similar done to say thank you and to commemorate the wonderful work that the NHS are doing serving on the frontline at this horrible time.”
In 2012, Royal Mail painted post boxes gold in all the towns and areas where Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners live. Rafferty says he feels “the NHS are all worthy gold medal winners” and he’s “seen the incredible work they’ve done in the past” for people close to him.
So he came up with the idea that post boxes should be painted blue, to show that we will never stop being grateful to NHS staff.
He has suggested that for every NHS worker who has sadly lost their lives fighting the virus, a Royal Mail post box should be painted blue, either near the hospital where they worked or near where they lived.
Rafferty set up a petition to paint post boxes blue, which he shared on social media. As part of the petition, he wrote: “In 2012 the Royal Mail painted 110 post boxes gold, to celebrate Britain’s Olympic and Paralympic champions
“Then, in 2019 the Royal Mail painted a select few post boxes blue for the Cricket World Cup.
“I am campaigning for a Royal Mail Post Box to be painted blue for each NHS member who has died fighting Coronavirus, either near the hospital they worked at or near their family home.
“The NHS have selflessly placed themselves on the frontline to help treat those with the virus and slow the spread of it, so I feel that painting the post boxes blue is the least that can be done to commemorate their colleague’s lives.”
Since Rafferty started his petition, Royal Mail has announced it has painted some post boxes blue for NHS workers. Royal Mail unveiled a number of decorated post boxes for the NHS around the UK. They are near to hospitals in London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Wales and Belfast. These locations in particular were chosen to represent all four UK countries and the Trafford General Hospital in Manchester where Aneurin Bevan founded the NHS in 1948. Shane O’Riordain, MD of regulation, corporate affairs and marketing, Royal Mail said: “We are showing our support and thanks to the many NHS workers across the UK who are working tirelessly to help those affected by the coronavirus crisis.
“The special blue postboxes are a small token of our thanks for the exceptional service NHS workers are providing across all four UK nations.”
Reflecting on this, Rafferty says “being able to see that progress has been made and that blue post boxes are now starting to appear is so amazing”.
He added: “But I feel we have not yet finished. One of the simplest gestures which could show our thanks to the NHS at such a fragile time is by having more of these post boxes, and making them as iconic as the 2012 Gold Post Boxes, not only to thank the NHS, but also honour their colleagues who have sadly lost their lives.”