Western Daily Press (Saturday)

Time to show your love for the stars on NHS front line

- JOHN HOUSEMAN news@westerndai­lypress.co.uk

ON THE front lines of the nation’s battle against coronaviru­s stand the incredible staff of the NHS.

From the surgeons to the porters, the nurses to the catering staff, the physios to the midwives, and the paramedics to the GPs – these heroes battle adversity each day to help us all when we’re at our most vulnerable.

From cradle to grave, the NHS, and the incredible profession­als who work in hospitals, GP surgeries, clinics, care homes and more, is a part of British life.

But in the context of the extraordin­ary circumstan­ces we now find ourselves living in as a result of the coronaviru­s outbreak, what they’re doing is superhuman, and we’ve never needed them more.

Today, more than ever, we should cherish those who dedicate themselves to our care, heedless of own health as they work tirelessly to care for people in the face of the coronaviru­s pandemic.

They share the same fears, uncertaint­ies and anxieties that all of us do. They have children at home to care for, vulnerable parents and relatives to consider, underlying health conditions to protect.

But through it all, they put the safety and wellbeing of all of us in front of their own, working round the clock to ensure they do the best they possibly can for those under their care.

It’s time to say thanks.

At the Western Daily Press, we’re proud to be part of the NHS Heroes campaign, launched to make sure all the amazing people of this wonderful organisati­on know exactly how much they mean to the nation.

We’re asking you to show them love by helping us create a living map of gratitude from every corner of Britain. By dropping a heart on the map, you’re saying you appreciate the efforts undertaken daily in the NHS.

To pledge your support, just:

Go to www.thanksamil­lionnhs. co.uk

Add your partial postcode (eg: CF5 1) to put a heart on the map and show your support for the heroes of the NHS

Share the page to encourage others to show their support.

Across the Reach network – from national brands like the Mirror and the Express through to leading regional titles like the Bristol Post, the Manchester Evening News and the Liverpool Echo – we’ll be shining a light on the incredible work carried out by NHS staff, and the lovely gestures of kindness from the public that are helping to ease the load.

From the nurses at Bristol Haematolog­y and Oncology Centre in the city – including Tracey Arthur, who has devoted her life to helping people with cancer and fundraises to help them in her spare time to the dedicated paramedics who went the aid of residents injured when a tree fell onto their flats in Hanham during winter storms.

To the teams in the emergency department­s, who work around the clock at the city’s hospitals to save lives, to the NHS 111 South West service, which provides urgent health advice for Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucester­shire, Gloucester­shire and Somerset, which become the first 111 service in England to be rated overall ‘ outstandin­g’ by the Care Quality Commission, we should be celebratin­g them all.

Lloyd Embley, group editor-inchief for Reach plc, said: “As we tackle the biggest national crisis in a generation it is our amazing NHS staff who will, once again, selflessly put our health above their own.

“We wanted to find a simple way for people up and down the country to demonstrat­e their love and support for them.

“All of Reach’s news brands are immensely proud to back this initiative. Please join in and send your thanks and love to an incredible army of people.”

Shadow Health Secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “Never have we owed so much to our brilliant and hardworkin­g NHS staff. Just as they are caring for us, we need to care for them and give them every ounce of support they need.

“I welcome this fantastic initiative to encourage the public to show their appreciati­on to all our NHS workers.”

Thanks a million, NHS workers – we love you.

They share the same

fears, uncertaint­ies and anxieties that all

of us do ... but through it all, they put the safety and wellbeing of all of us in front of their own, working round the clock to ensure they

do the best they possibly can for those

under their care

 ??  ?? Nurse Tracey Arthur has devoted her life to helping people with cancer and fundraises to help them in her spare time – she works at the Bristol
Haematolog­y and Oncology Centre, below
Nurse Tracey Arthur has devoted her life to helping people with cancer and fundraises to help them in her spare time – she works at the Bristol Haematolog­y and Oncology Centre, below
 ??  ??

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