There is now an opportunity to nominate names of coronavirus heroes to be hand-written on the special ‘Thank U NHS’ Duxford Spitfire.
The restored aircraft took to the skies earlier this month to mark the NHS’ 72nd birthday and flew over hospitals in Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire.
Organisers now want to go one step further and celebrate the heroes going above and beyond during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Duxford Imperial War Museum-based Aircraft Restoration Company plan to hand-write 80,000 names on their blue Spitfire to raise money for NHS Charities Together.
The names will be nominated by the public as a way of thanking one another for the support they received through the coronavirus outbreak.
From a kind neighbour or supportive family member to an inspirational front-line worker or community hero, the public can now thank them with this special gesture.
A minimum donation of £10 must be made via a JustGiving page and those wishing to nominate a name must include their hero’s name and reason for nomination.
MORE: Special ‘Thank you NHS’ Spitfire to flyover region to mark service’s 72nd birthday
John Romain, founder and managing director of Aircraft Restoration Company, says he was shocked following the reaction from the NHS flyover.
He said: “The response to our initial flight over the last 8pm #clapforourcarers Thursday was incredibly humbling.
“Hundreds of people from the local community shared how wonderful it was to not only see the Spitfire, but also to read the message emblazoned across its wings.
“After such positive reaction we decided to leave the message painted on the Spitfire for the rest of the flying season but also began thinking of ways we could use it to help give something back to the NHS staff who have been our heroes throughout this difficult time.
“This is where the idea to hand write 80,000 names onto the aircraft to raise money for the NHS Charities Together began.”
As well as the Spitfire’s usual local operations around it’s home base at Duxford Airfield in Cambridgeshire, specifically planned routes will fly past communities and hospitals around mainland UK, including the NHS Nightingale in London.
Flight routes will be updated throughout the duration of the donation window, which will then close on Sunday, September 20 to align with the Spitfire closing the show at the IWM Duxford’s Battle of Britain Air Show.
To nominate your hero, visit: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nhsspitfire
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