Plans underway to mark 75th anniversary of the NHS in BSW
The 75th birthday of the NHS will be marked across BSW with a special service at Salisbury Cathedral, lighting up key landmarks in NHS blue and through NHS staff taking part in a special fitness challenge.
The events are part of a nationwide celebration of the founding of the NHS in 1948
The NHS was the first universal health system to be available to all, free at the point of delivery. Today, nine in 10 people agree that healthcare should be free of charge, more than four in five agree that care should be available to everyone and that the NHS makes them most proud to be British (1).
On the evening of Wednesday 5 July, the 75th anniversary will be marked by lighting up two world-famous landmarks – the Roman Baths in Bath and the iconic spire of Salisbury Cathedral – in NHS blue.
Meanwhile, on Monday 26th June, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust and Salisbury Cathedral are holding a special service to mark the 75th anniversary of the NHS and 80 years since the US Army opened a hospital in Odstock.
The service, which starts at 5:30pm, is a wonderful opportunity for the community to come together and join health and care staff to celebrate this significant milestone of our National Health Service, which was founded on 5th July in 1948.
This ecumenical service is open to all communities in South Wiltshire, North and East Dorset and South West Hampshire and warm welcome will be given to all faiths and those with none.
The service will celebrate a year of anniversaries as it is 80 years since the hospital on Odstock Road opened as a US military hospital supporting D-Day and the liberation of Europe, the closing of the city centre Infirmary 30 years ago, as well as the 70th anniversary of Radio Odstock, the hospital’s radio station.
Elsewhere in BSW, staff from NHS organisations are being encouraged to take part in the NHS 1000 hours fitness challenge.
Members of the public can get involved in the celebration in their own way through lots of other events including hosting an NHS Big Tea and taking part in the parkrun for the NHS on Saturday 8th July.
You can also watch this short video featuring leaders and staff from across BSW talking about the changes they have seen in the NHS over the years and their hopes and ambitions for the service in the future. NHS at 75
