RDH colleagues combine to help create lasting tribute to our heroes in ICU
UHDB colleagues have come together to help create a lasting tribute to our incredible Intensive Care Unit team at Royal Derby Hospital.
A beautifully crafted blue plaque bearing the name of the ICU and images symbolising the Covid-19 pandemic has now been installed into the perimeter fence at the walking entrance to RDH.
Rainbows, forget-me-not flowers and swallows are just some of the designs engraved into the artwork, which has been created thanks to funds raised by UHDB porter Avtar Samrai and members of the ICU team.
Liz Chivers, Staff Nurse, came up with the idea to create a lasting tribute to the team before the pandemic struck, with her fellow colleagues in ICU also doing their bit to raise £400 to make the panel, which was created by Elaine Lin-Newton, Air Arts artist.
She said: “I hope it reminds everyone, when they come into the hospital, of what a great little team we’ve got. It’s got swallows to represent the people who have been able to go home and also forget-me-nots for those that didn’t make it.
“Elaine’s done a beautiful job of designing it for us – I just love it! It’s been a long time coming and I’m really grateful to Avtar for helping us to raise the funds up to get it done.”
Avtar has been fundraising throughout the entire pandemic – walking and running each day during the first wave of Covid-19 for Derby and Burton Hospitals Charity – and has contributed £600 to help fund the bespoke plaque.
He said: “It feels great to have been able to play a part in this because the ICU staff have worked so hard, so I wanted to contribute something for them. I hope this artwork makes them feel better every time they come into the hospital. It’s a great feeling to see that my fundraising has gone to good use. When I first met Liz, she mentioned that she wanted to create this plaque, so I’m glad I’ve been able to help them do it.”
In total, Avtar has donated £2,000 to the ICU team for them to spend on initiatives important to them, which could eventually include future redevelopments to the ICU specialist garden; used by patients staying on the unit.
Caroline Swann, ICU Senior Sister said: “The idea to create the panel was Liz’s and actually came about before the pandemic but it’s great that it’s now incorporated some of what’s happened through Covid-19. It symbolises what we’ve gone through as ICU nurses during the pandemic, so it’s really good to have this here as a reminder when we walk in each day.”
Laura Waters, Head of Arts at Air Arts added: “It’s really lovely to be able to use the perimeter fence to be able to draw attention to some of the areas of the hospital and some of the people that we want to say thank you to after what they’ve done in the last year. The designs really brighten up the fence as people walk towards the main entrance and they are bespoke, so we’ve been able to work with the departments to come up with a design that really means something to them.”