In Stockport and the surrounding areas, artists have captured portraits of the hardworking staff at Stockport NHS Foundation Trust, which oversees Stepping Hill Hospital and community services in Stockport. These portraits showcase a selection of the dedicated individuals who worked tirelessly during the COVID pandemic, sharing their stories in their own words.
The portraits include a mix of clinical and non-clinical colleagues from both the hospital and community settings, such as nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, domestics, and staff in procurement, pathology, and the hospital mortuary. Through these stories, a personal insight is provided into the challenges and struggles faced by these staff members and their colleagues at the peak of the pandemic, highlighting the devastating impact of the infection on the local community.
Organised by Stockport NHS Foundation Trust and funded by Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council as part of the COVID Community Commemoration Project, this initiative aims to help Stockport communities reflect on the challenging period of the COVID pandemic.
Chief Nurse Nic Firth expressed gratitude to the artists for their incredible work on the portraits, emphasising the emotional connection between the artworks and the stories shared by the represented colleagues. The exhibition, which marks one of the most turbulent times in modern NHS history, offers a poignant opportunity for reflection.
Councillor Frankie Singleton, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture & Sport at Stockport Council, commended the exhibition as a wonderful tribute to the hard work of NHS staff during the pandemic, highlighting the community’s unity and neighbourly spirit during challenging times.
The exhibition was officially launched with a special preview event on Thursday 7th March and is now open to the public at the gallery from Friday 8th March to Thursday 11th April 2024, before the artworks are returned to Stepping Hill Hospital for permanent display. Admission to the exhibition is free, with gallery hours on Thursday – Friday from 1pm to 5pm, Saturday from 10am to 5pm, and Sunday from 11am to 4pm.
