Paulsgrove veteran designs memorial for NHS and key workers who have died in the Covid-19 pandemic

Guy Wilson from Paulsgrove created The Nightingale Cross on his computer and his design will be mounted to a wall featuring brass plaques with the names and dates of every key worker.

The project is being led by Terry Williams, who organised the Poppy of Honour sculpture in 2018.

Guy, who served on HMS Sheffield, said: 'It is an honour to design it and I am honoured it will go next to the Poppy of Honour in the memorial garden.

'I think it will mean so much to the families who have lost their loved ones to have something that represents what they have done and the bravery they have shown.

‘My daughter is a nurse in the community and she has many friends on the front line at Queen Alexandra Hospital at the moment.’

The group is trying to raise £5,000 to fund the wall and the sculpture, which features a cross, wreath and medical symbol caduceus. Guy has designed pin badge versions of the memorial to help with the fundraising.

The 68-year-old said: ‘I have always been quite a creative person and enjoyed designing things. After I designed the memorial a friend of mine said I should make small pin badges of it as well so people could have their own little version.

‘We have already sold more than 100 and lots of people are ordering which is amazing.’

It is hoped the cross can be toured around the UK.

Terry said: ‘I and other members of the Poppy of Honour Group have been following many threads on Facebook about honouring those on the front line, those who died of Covid-19 and those who continued to work knowing that at anytime they could contract the virus.

‘[They were] not deterred from returning to their workplace every day knowing the risks and many decided to isolate from their families to minimise their risk of infection.

‘This was the motivation behind the memorial to remember those that kept us fed, safe and nursed us when sick.’

To donate visit nightingale-memorial-wall-and-nightingale-cross

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