Sport Unites To Support NHS Anniversary ‘Thank You’ To Covid Heroes

Wednesday, 1 July 2020 00:01

Sports leaders have united behind calls for the country to come together and thank NHS staff, fellow key workers, good neighbours and the countless others playing their part in tackling the coronavirus pandemic when the health service marks its anniversary this Sunday. Famous names from the worlds of football, cricket and rugby are expected to join sporting chiefs from the governing bodies, leagues and clubs in showing their gratitude to all those who have played their part...Request free trial

Famous names from the worlds of football, cricket and rugby are expected to join sporting chiefs from the governing bodies, leagues and clubs in showing their gratitude to all those who have played their part in dealing with Covid-19 and urging people to build on the renewed sense of community it has created.

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), English Football League (EFL), Premier League, Premiership Rugby, Rugby Football Union (RFU), Team GB and The FA are all supporting the Thank You Together moment on Sunday.

At 5pm on the 5th July people are being asked to come together on their doorsteps and applaud the commitment, courage and sacrifice shown by so many, but also stay for a few minutes and join a socially distanced moment with friends and neighbours.

As well as highlighting the importance of the continuing work that sport has being doing to help sustain its communities throughout the period and the support given to the NHS nationally and locally, the sports will be making their own personal thank you to a variety of key workers, NHS staff and sports fans.

Sky Sports will also be promoting and featuring Thank You Together across its broadcasts throughout the weekend of 4 and 5 July.

Examples include:

ECB: The upcoming Test series against West Indies will be named the #raisethebat Test Series in honour of key workers, with players wearing key workers’ names on training shirts
EFL: All matches over the weekend will be preceded with a moment’s applause
Premier League: All matches over the weekend will be preceded by a moment of applause led by players and match officials to say thank you to the health workers, key workers and all those who have helped others during the crisis. Clubs will also be expressing their gratitude in a variety of ways
Premiership Rugby: Players and coaches will be recording personal ‘thank yous’ to key workers
RFU: Eddie Jones, England’s head coach, will record a personal thank you along with players
Sky Sports: Promoting and featuring Thank You Together across its Premier League and EFL broadcasts throughout the weekend of 4 and 5 July, as well as posting personal thank yous from its presenters and co-presenters
The Football Association: A #ThankYouTogether mosaic on Wembley big screens over the weekend

The NHS has been working with the newly founded Together Coalition to bring along people and organisations to mark the work of the public and NHS in helping the country get through the pandemic.

Welcoming the announcement, Gary Lineker said: "It is great to see football, along with cricket and rugby, coming together with the NHS, on its birthday, to thank all the key workers with one big final nationwide clap.

"So, at 5:00pm this Sunday raise a glass, share a cuppa or, dare I say it, watch the football with your neighbours, friends or relatives. Applaud all those who are working so hard and sacrificing so much to keep us all going throughout this period. But think about how we can all help come together and start to build even better communities and a country we can be even more proud of."

NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, said: "Sport plays a huge part in millions of people’s lives, and is a major contributor to both our physical and mental wellbeing. As sport returns to our national life following this difficult lockdown period, it's both fitting and welcome that some of our top sports stars are helping thank frontline NHS staff who have been at the sharp end of our health service's amazing response to coronavirus."

ECB Chief Executive Officer, Tom Harrison, said: “As we prepare to stage the first international sporting competition in the UK since Covid-19 began next week, we want to join with the NHS and the other major sporting bodies to say #ThankYouTogether, at 5pm Sunday 5 July, to all the people who have bravely played their part during this crisis. Throughout the #raisethebat Test Series, we will show our gratitude with players wearing the names of key workers on their training shirts to shine a light on their bravery and sacrifice as fans watch live from home.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the way cricket clubs have responded to this crisis. Despite being unable to play a single game of cricket and in the face of major financial uncertainty, they continue to support their local communities and have together raised over £300,000 since May. This crisis has shown us that the spirit of the cricket family is stronger than ever and united, we will come through this.”

English Football League Chair, Rick Parry, said: ‘The EFL is proud to unite with other UK sporting organisations this weekend to say a collective, and simple, thank you to NHS staff and key workers across the nation for their heroic efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“As we have all tried to navigate our way through the uncertainty of the last few months, NHS staff and other key frontline workers have kept our communities going and everyone associated with the EFL and our Clubs is incredibly grateful for their unwavering commitment in deeply challenging times.

“We will stand together with the rest of the country in demonstrating our support whilst also taking a moment to remember those members of NHS staff and the key worker community who are no longer with us as a result of this dreadful virus.”

Premier League Chief Executive, Richard Masters, said: “Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic we have seen an incredible amount of goodwill and support across the country, including what our Premier League clubs, players, staff and supporters have done to help their local communities and the NHS. I am immensely proud of how the football community has come together and responded to those who have needed it most.

“The Premier League will support the NHS and its moment of thanks to recognise the efforts of the health workers, key workers and all those who have shown kindness and care to others during these months.”

Premiership Rugby CEO, Darren Childs, said: “We are delighted to be supporting the NHS and the 'Thank You Together' moment at 5pm on Sunday 5 July. Even though the rugby may have stopped temporarily the inspiring work our clubs and their players and fans undertake in their communities has continued. So, we want to show our thanks to all those key workers and members of the public who have helped the NHS, but also to champion the renewed sense of togetherness that will serve us all well as we meet the challenges ahead."

RFU CEO Bill Sweeney said: “Rugby, like the wider sporting community and the nation as a whole, is extremely grateful to and proud of all those who have worked tirelessly through this pandemic going above and beyond to support local communities and the NHS. We have been inspired by many stories across the country showing spirit and resilience in these challenging times to ensure that we will come through this together and emerge stronger.

“This week and at 5pm on Sunday 5 July the RFU is getting behind the NHS and /together campaign to show our appreciation to each and every person who has offered their support and remember all those who have been impacted by Covid-19.”

Sky Sports Managing Director, Rob Webster, said: “We owe every key worker and the entire NHS family an enormous debt of gratitude for their heroic part in the nation’s response to Covid-19.

“Sky Sports is proud to pay tribute and mark the occasion of the NHS birthday appropriately across our channels, to allow our viewers to reflect on just how crucial a role all the key workers have played.”

The FA Chairman, Greg Clarke, said: “The nation, the whole football community included, is enormously grateful to all those who have helped keep country going throughout the corona virus pandemic. There have been so many stories of key workers not just doing their job, but going the extra mile to help support their communities and the NHS. Supporting them is the best way to get back to playing and watching the game we all love.

“The FA will be joining with the NHS and Together in remembering all those who have lost their lives to Covid-19, as well as supporting a final and biggest clap at 5pm this Sunday to thank all those key workers and members of the public who helped the NHS during its most challenging time.”

The NHS will mark 72 years since its foundation on the 5th July after the most challenging year in the health service’s history. Staff have pulled out all the stops to care for the 100,000 patients with Covid-19 who needed specialist hospital treatment and treating countless others besides while redesigning services and creating the Nightingale hospitals.

However, no health service could have dealt with the global health emergency alone. The NHS wants to use the anniversary to thank everyone who contributed to the huge national effort from the bus drivers, shop worker, refuse collectors, social care staff and teachers who kept the country running to all those who stopped the spread of the virus by following the expert advice and staying home to save lives.

Background

This year has been the most challenging in NHS history with staff working around the clock to tackle coronavirus – caring for the 100,000 patients with Covid-19 who needed specialist hospital treatment and treating countless others besides, redesigning services and creating backup Nightingale hospitals.

None of this would have been possible without the help and support of countless individuals and organisations around the country.

Everyone across the NHS is hugely grateful to the thousands of former doctors, nurses and other health service staff who came out of retirement to battle coronavirus, the fellow key workers – from bus drivers and refuse collectors to social care staff and teachers – who kept the country running and, of course, all those who stopped the spread of the virus by following the expert advice and staying home to save lives.

Everyone has had a part to play and, in the most difficult days, frontline workers were sustained by the support of the public.

So on 5th July, the day the NHS was founded, the whole country is invited to come together again at 5pm and applaud the commitment, courage and sacrifice shown by so many.

On the eve of the birthday, 4th July, iconic landmarks including the Royal Albert Hall, Blackpool Tower and Wembley Arch will be illuminated in blue as part of tributes to NHS staff.