REC(21)38.06
NHS, Social Care and Frontline Workers’ Day 5th July 2021
Melton Parish Council members endorsed this proposal for Melton to join in with the inaugural celebrations and commemorations for the NHS Thank you Day on Monday 5th July. This briefing paper is to update Recreation Committee on progress and preparation by Councillors Abbott, Darby, James and Harvey-Smith and the risk management aspects to be addressed.
Just to recap, the NHS was “born” on 5th July 1948 and on the 73rd Anniversary in 2021 there will be an opportunity to thank all our frontline staff and care workers for being there when we needed them throughout the pandemic. National celebrations are in aid of NHS Charities and will feature a series of events on the Day, three of which MPC will be taking part in as laid out in this paper.
It had been anticipated that Lockdown restrictions would have been lifted on 21st June, however current uncertainty means this is not guaranteed and some Covid-19 rules may still be in place. This scenario has influenced our planning for the Day and it has been decided not to hold any Indoor events and as a consequence we have cancelled the Afternoon Tea at the Burness Parish Rooms.
Here is the outline agenda for the 3 Melton events on NHS Thank you Day Monday 5th July 2021
10am The raising of the Rainbow NHS Flag
The new flagpole has been procured and will be installed by the Maintenance Officer in its position near the car park, as agreed by the previous meeting of the Recreation Committee. Once raised, the NHS Rainbow flag will be flying for one week.
The flagpole can be used for other events and if it is decided that the NHS Thank you Day becomes an annual event then we can raise the rainbow flag again next year.
The guest list for this 10am event to raise the flag, includes councillors from the parish, district and county councils, President of Melton WI, Burness Parish Rooms Chair, Melton Primary School Headteacher and children, CCF Cadets and their commanding officer, Deben Rotary and Inner Wheel leaders. Councillor Darby is in contact with our two local G.P. practices who have both agreed to send a representative to be present and accept our thanks. Approximately 20 guests in total.
It had been planned that the Chair of MPC would raise the flag and say a few words however Alan will be on holiday that day and it is proposed to read out a short message on his behalf.
The Itinerary is as follows:
09.45 Guests assemble in the car park
09.50 Welcome and Introductions
09.55 Message of Thanks from MPC ( Alan to prepare a few words to be read out )
10am The flag is raised as our tribute to the NHS and frontline workers
10.05 Photo opportunity (Charmian Berry photographer )
10.15 Guests disperse ( or welcome to stay for the Silence at 11am )
11am The Two Minute Silence, playing of the Last Post and Reveille
The Two Minute Silence is a stand-alone event. The public can join either or both events. It is a chance to remember all those who passed away during the pandemic of the past year. Some of us were not able to say our farewells to our loved ones because of Covid restrictions at the time. This short ceremony will be a fitting tribute to their memory.
Led by Father Paul Hambling and taking place on the playing field, the planned agenda is as follows:
10.45 Public is invited to assemble on the field near the car park
10.50 Welcome and Introductions
10.55 Message from Father Paul
11am The Two Minute Silence including playing of The Last Post and Reveille
11.02 Closing words by Father Paul
11.10 Photo opportunity ( Charmian Berry photographer )
11.15 Guests disperse
11.30 Car park and tennis courts re-open to the public.
The Melton Memory Box
Members of the public attending both these events on the playing field will be invited to write their own message of Remembrance and Thanks. These will be placed in a Memory Box which Councillor Darby has designed for this purpose. Following the 5th July, a virtual Book of Condolence will be produced and placed on the MPC website as a testament to the events of this unusual year.
8pm Clapping on doorsteps and Ringing of Church Bells in Melton
At 8pm both Melton Old Church and St Andrew’s Church will be ringing their bells 73 times in commemoration of the anniversary of the NHS, namely 73 years on 5th July 2021.
Melton residents will be invited to stand on their doorsteps and join in with “Clap for Carers “ as many of us did last year.
Publicity and Communication
We have registered our events with the national organisers. The Chair has included the agenda for these events in his Melton Messenger column which also appears in the InTouch and Flyer magazines, distributed widely in Melton and the local area. Nationally, there will be more publicity as we get closer to the date. We can also alert residents in advance of our plans via posters on the Noticeboards, to encourage support, bearing in mind any ongoing need for Covid-19 restrictions. Councillor Harvey-Smith has a set of markers if we need to impose 2m social distancing.
It would be good to send our photographs to the East Anglian Daily Times and our invited guests have been notified there is a photo opportunity, so they are aware should they not wish to be photographed.
Risk Assessment
It is difficult to know how many members of the public will attend on the Day.
For the Raising of the Flag proceedings, there will be 20 guests gathered around the flagpole. Members of the public are invited to join in with both events, standing on the field 2m apart if social distancing is in place. Volunteer marshals will be required to direct the public and ensure everyone’s safety, especially in the event that the car park is to remain open.
Recommendations
Recreation Committee members are asked to:
- Note the progress made on preparing for a successful NHS Thank you Day
- Agree the practical steps that will need to be taken to ensure the health and safety of the public and guests
- Closing the car park and tennis courts for three hours during the morning to accommodate the occasion and comply with any Covid rules still in place on Monday 5th July 2021
Councillor Bryony Abbott, Melton Parish Council, May 2021
