Veterans salute brave carers during the crisis
Military veterans have “proudly saluted” nurses and carers who’ve “kept them safe and made their days brighter” during the pandemic.
More than 300 ex-soldiers and their families live at the Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI) Village in Aylesford, and they wanted to thank the 100 care providers who have supported them during the Covid-19 crisis. In a moving ceremony, staff were presented with awards using an image of Florence Nightingale wearing a rainbow face mask.
Created by visual artist and photographer Martin Barraud, the awards are now also available to the public, who can gift them to healthcare teams for their service during the crisis. Former Royal Marine George Bradford, 89, presented the awards to the charity’s nurses and carers who had looked after him and his comrades.
He said: “If we were showing signs of depression through being alone in our flat, they reassured us and cheered our day. They made us realise we were all kept in isolation for our own good and helped us cope with the situation.
“Our lives would have been worsened were it was not for the utter dedication, steely determination and gentle compassion.” Registered nurse Carmen Cartnell, who has worked at RBLI’s care home, Gavin Astor House, throughout the pandemic, said: “I feel honoured I’ve got the privilege to work with our veterans – the things that they’ve done and seen, hopefully we will never ever see.
“It’s been such an emotional time recently and it makes you see that people do recognise the work we are doing.”
To buy your own Florence Nightingale award for a carer, visit rbli.co.uk/florence/