Staff and patients paused to remember former armed forces who bravely served their country. Two short services to remember the fallen were held at the Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital and other Trust bases, clinics and community hospitals also paused to join in the two minute silence at 11am.
NCIC Chaplain Ian Newton said: “We remembered the sacrifice of the Armed Forces community. We also paid tribute to the special contribution of families and of the emergency services.”
Staff elsewhere in the Trust have been helping to mark Armistice Day.
Nurse Gillian McDougall helped the Men in Sheds Northern Fells Group create 100 special Tommies.
Gillian, who works at CIC, came up with the idea and got the Men in Sheds Group to create them for her.
The Tommies - silhouettes of the soldiers - have been specially created for the Royal British Legion and have been placed round the World War One memorial at Carlisle.
The figures are made from plywood, which Gillian has painted black and varnished and will represent all those who lost their lives in the Great War.
Gillian, who is also a reserve army nurse, said: “I wanted to do something special to mark the centenary of the Royal British Legion. I’m really pleased with how they have turned out."
Nicola Humes, a health care assistant on Ward 3 at The West Cumberland Hospital, has created a beautiful mural painting in the ward’s day room to mark Remembrance Day.
Nicola said “I wanted to do this as the painting has given our patients a beautiful space to remember and honour those lost to the war.”
Kerry Morris, deputy ward manager, said “Nicola has worked for the trust for 25 years and never fails to help our patients celebrate important occasions which otherwise they may have missed been away from home due to ill health.
“She always goes above and beyond to ensure patients receive the best possible care and experience whilst they are in hospital and it is this innate ability that makes her such a valued member of the Ward 3 team.”
Leanne Story, Sister for Elm C, got in touch with us to say:
“Three of our healthcare assistants; Lynn Aitchison, Pauline Carruthers and Catlin Gasgarth decorated the ward for Remembrance Day and ensured all patients who wanted a poppy got their own poppy.”
Ward 1 at WCH - and others across the Trust - have also prepared windows and ward displays in remembrance.
Pharmacy porter Stephen Gannon, who used to be in the Army, proudly showed off his medals at the CIC atrium service. He also wrote a poem called A Soldier’s Prayer.
Lord please grant me victory over my foes, and to those who wish to harm the innocent.
Lord make my aim be accurate and true, and faster than my foes.
Do not judge me too harshly lord as I do my duty as a solider.
And if today is the day you call me home I ask this of you – Lord to let me die with my rifle in my hand and to fall in battle into a pile of brass, alongside my comrades in arms.
Knowing I have done my duty with honour and courage, I ask for my family not to weep for me as I freely gave my today for your tomorrow.
We as soldiers swear our allegiance to Queen and country freely.
When you look up to the stars remember us, that is all we ask of you.
Amen.