A poignant service of thanksgiving for health and care services across Cumbria took place on Sunday 1st November.
A Light of Hope doused the Cathedral in blue for the service which took place on All Saints Day.
Daniel Sherret, assistant practitioner with the Cumberland Infirmary’s Hospital at Night team, played his bagpipes in the service, while Deputy Ward Manager Maria Heslop recited her My Day poem which has been published in a book.
Midwife Hannah Taylor and student midwife Sherelle Smith recited a poem We’re In It Together.
Six of the Trust’s chaplains also took part in the service, alongside Cumbrian dignitaries.
Families of the agency nurses who sadly died attended the service at the Cathedral along with representatives from the wards where they worked.
Earlier in the day, there was a separate service at St Bede’s Church in Carlisle followed by a rededication of the benches outside the Doctors Residence at the Cumberland Infirmary.
Daniel, who regularly played his bagpipes on a Thursday night during the first lockdown, said:
“It was an honour and a privilege to take part in the service. The Cathedral is an amazing place.”
Due to current Coronavirus restrictions, the service was streamed live from Carlisle Cathedral. Members of the public were able to watch the service on the Cathedral’s Facebook page.
The service reflected the contribution made by all health and care workers during the ongoing covid pandemic, and celebrate the work of those on the frontline.
As well as remembering NHS and care staff who lost their lives, the service also celebrated the contributions made by all those who kept health and care services working, and the families supporting those staff at home.
The service included contributions that represent a wide range of health and care services including poems from frontline nursing staff, carers and mental health service users and music from health staff and the children of a GP.
This also included a performance of My Heart is Blue written by resuscitation educator David Webster from south Cumbria for his NHS colleagues.
Anna Stabler, Chief Nurse at NCIC, said:
“We wanted to remember and honour the contribution of our staff who passed away and also the enormous hard work and innovation of all health and care workers in the community, in our hospitals, GP surgeries, care homes, mental health services, in supported living and those carers going into people’s homes as well as those providing an emergency response. We would like to thank the community for their unwavering support.”
You can watch the service again here https://www.facebook.com/CarlisleCathedral/
