The Nightingale Rainbow, built at Stoke Mandeville Hospital to recognise and remember the resilience and kindness seen across Buckinghamshire throughout the pandemic, was lit for the first time on Friday night.
The 5.5 by 8.3 metre structure is the first permanent tribute to the Covid-19 response in the entire country.
Completed at the start of November, the Rainbow is a joint project between Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust and Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity.
Jo Turner, CEO of Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity, said: “Nightingale’s Rainbow is a symbol of hope, resilience and kindness in difficult times.
“After a week of tightening restrictions, and with a tough and uncertain winter ahead, we hope that lighting Nightingale’s Rainbow in these dark days will remind staff across Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust of how much we appreciate their care and resilience.”
It is also the focal point for a fundraising campaign to support Florence Nightingale Hospice and Bucks Healthcare NHS Trust, and has already raised over £24,000.
Each of the thousands of coloured Rainbow Tiles which form the Rainbow can be dedicated to any individual or group with a message of thanks or support on the virtual Nightingale’s Rainbow at www.nightingalesrainbow.org.uk.
Trust Chief Executive Neil Macdonald said: “Nightingale’s Rainbow means so much to so many at the Trust, Florence Nightingale Hospice and also the wider community of Buckinghamshire.
“The rainbow is a physical installation to remember the tough times, which we are still going through, and loved ones we have lost but also acts as a symbol of hope for the future.”
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