Published: Friday, 26th June 2020
People living, visiting and shopping in Cannock Chase District are being encouraged to take part in local celebrations on Sunday 5 July to mark the 72nd birthday of the NHS.
Cannock Chase Council has joined forces with Chase Arts for Public Spaces (CHAPS) and Cannock Town Centre Partnership to provide two creative challenges for people to take part in whilst visiting Cannock Town Centre. These include a story trail amongst local shops and a ribbon rainbow consisting of thank you messages displayed on the bandstand near St. Luke’s Church.
A selection of shops – 10 in total, will be participating in a special NHS story trail for families to get involved in. These shops will display artworks created by children on a specific NHS theme to remind us of the number of services the NHS provides and what we can access.
Cannock Shopping Centre will also be displaying artworks during the celebrations.
Artwork templates are available to collect from the following shops:
- The Engraving Company, Market Place
- Greetings from the Heart, High Green Shopping Centre
- Vodafone, Market Street
- Phillip Howard Opticians, Market Place
- Centre Flowers, Shopping Centre
- Broome Meadow Bakes, Shopping Centre
- Chatwin Jewellers, Shopping Centre
- Mim’s Mom’s Newhall, High Green
- Beardsmore Lighting, Mill Street
- Hannah’s Artisan Cafe & Coffee Shop, Market Place
Participating shops will also be handing out coloured ribbon from 30 June for customers to take away and write messages of thanks or share personal memories. These ribbons will be tied on to the bandstand near St Luke’s Church by 3 and 4 July, when volunteers will be on hand to assist. The rainbow of ribbons will be on display for two weeks.
Local shops have also been invited to decorate their windows to celebrate the NHS. Displays will be on show from 4 July until 17 July.
Images will also be projected onto various buildings within the town centre on Saturday 4 July depicting scenes which pay tribute to the NHS. NHS flags will also be flown from buildings and on the bowling green.
In addition to this, the Council is also working with local community groups who have come together to provide a display for parks across the District.
To support the national celebration of the 72nd birthday of the NHS and as a mark of respect for all those who have lost their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic, displays will be on show at Cannock Stadium Park, Hednesford Town Centre (around the clock), Hednesford Park, Elmore Park, Ravenhill Park , Norton Canes Recreation Ground/Church Street Recreation Ground in Norton Canes, Heath Hayes Park and Cannock Park.
This project has been supported by the 'Building Resilient Families and Communities' funding project that The Friends of Hednesford Park gained through Staffordshire County Council. If you would like to add a personal message to someone you have lost during the COVID outbreak, please contact Lynn Evans, Community and Education Officer at Cannock Chase Council who will pass the message onto the relevant organisation. Call 07855 099353 or email: lynnevans@cannockchasedc.gov.uk.
Councillor George Adamson, Leader of the Council said: “These unprecedented times have enabled new innovative ways of working and created more effective community partnerships to support people during lockdown. These projects will bring the people across the District together to honour and celebrate the work of those on the frontline as well as remembering those that have sadly lost loved ones during the COVID outbreak.
“The artworks will provide colourful displays around Cannock Town Centre and our local parks and it is hoped they will encourage people to visit the town centre and parks to see what the community has created”.
“I would urge anyone who is taking part or coming along to see the displays to follow the current COVID guidance set out my government.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to personally thank the many volunteers who have been involved behind the scenes to make this happen across the District”.
Mike Mellor, President of CHAPS and Vice Chair of Cannock Town Centre Partnership, said: “I'm delighted to be part of this celebration to honour all of those who work in, or have worked in, the NHS. Like other community organisations, CHAPS and the Town Centre Partnership encourage the people of Cannock to join in with this initiative to show their appreciation for all the NHS has done for us all. We're all looking forward to seeing the children's pictures, the banners and the rainbow of ribbons!
“We hope everyone will join in with the rest of the country on Sunday 5 July at 5pm to produce the biggest and loudest clap for the NHS”.
Kelvin Stephens, Chair of The Friends of Hednesford Park, said: “This project is a fantastic way to celebrate the achievements of the NHS over the last 75 years and also during the current pandemic, where they have gone above and beyond. It will also remember those who have lost loved ones during this time. We are privileged to be part of such an amazing community, who has come together during lockdown to support each other”.