A Spitfire will be making a flypast over three Shropshire hospitals tomorrow as part of a countrywide tour to say thank you to the NHS following the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Spitfire with the words ‘THANK U NHS’ under its wings and the names of those who have carried out small acts of kindness throughout the Covid-19 pandemic will be making a special flypast over the Princess Royal Hospital, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Ludlow Community Hospital.
The aircraft will take off from Duxford Airfield at 10am starting its countrywide tour before heading into Shropshire after a flypast at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.
The Spitfire will fly over the Princess Royal Hospital at around 10.51am, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital at 10.55am and Ludlow Community Hospital at 11.02am.
The aircraft will then head into Herefordshire passing over Hereford County Hospital.
Nominate a name
The public are now being offered the unique opportunity to nominate the name of a loved one that will be hand written onto the family-owned Aircraft Restoration Company’s blue photo-reconnaissance Spitfire to raise money for NHS Charities Together.
The names will be nominated as a way of recognising small acts of kindness throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. From a family member to a kind neighbour, a close friend or community hero.
The aim is to lift the spirits of those across the UK, many of whom are still living in some form of isolation, whilst also thanking the hospitals, communities and individuals who have been at the forefront of getting the country through the pandemic.
The JustGiving.com/nhsspitfire fundraising page is open. To submit a name, the public will simply need to donate £10 minimum via the campaign’s JustGiving page, fundraising for the NHS Charities and state their loved one’s name and reason for nomination in their donation comment.
John Romain, Founder & Managing Director of Aircraft Restoration Company said:
“The response to our initial flight over the last 8pm #clapforourcarers Thursday was incredibly humbling, with hundreds of people from the local community sharing how wonderful it was to not only see the Spitfire, but also to read the message emblazoned across its wings.
“After such positive response we decided to leave the message painted on the Spitfire for the rest of the flying season, this is where the idea to hand write the names of the nation’s loved ones onto the aircraft to raise money for the NHS Charities Together began.”
*Please note due to current unpredictability of weather, flight routes may be postponed if low cloud or rain prohibits flying. Updates via @AircraftRestorationCompany Instagram or Facebook.
Shropshire Live is regulated by 