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Festival to thank NHS staff in Shropshire

NHS staff will be thanked for their efforts during the pandemic with a family festival taking place this weekend.

By Dominic Robertson
Published

The 60s themed 'Festival on the Field' is taking place in the grounds of the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, outside Oswestry, on Saturday.

The event, which is being organised by the hospital's league of friends and Shropshire Festivals, will run from 11am through to 10pm – with a 60s disco from 6pm to 10pm.

The festival has been organised to thank staff at the hospital for their work during the Covid crisis, and will also mark 100 years of the hospital, and 60 years of the league of friends.

Victoria Sugden, charity director of the league of friends, said they hoped it would provide a chance for workers and their families to have some well-deserved fun.

She said: "It is very much to give the staff here, our hard-working NHS staff, the opportunity to get together in a safe space – it is all in the open air – and to have a bit of fun because the last 18 months have been very trying and difficult. We just want to give something back to the staff so they can come together with their colleagues and their families."

The event is open to families, friends, patients and volunteers at the hospital.

Ms Sugden said that there would be plenty of family entertainment throughout the day.

She said: "We have got inflatables coming, different street food, a gin bar, we have got a space hopper area, a lovely forest school with a Shetland pony. We have got axe throwing so people can release their inner Viking. All sorts of fun and games and a really good line-up of live music."

The British Ironwork Centre's sculptures will also feature in the event which is being sponsored by CPC Drive in partnership with Tusker.

The music stage is being sponsored by Mornflakes and local businesses have been thanked for their generosity in contributing to a raffle for the day.

Ms Sugden said: "We have had so many local businesses helping and donating prizes for a raffle we are doing. Some really lovely big prizes and what is touching is those community businesses being so generous."