Spitfire over town to thank NHS heroes

The Second World War aircraft, piloted by the family-owned Aircraft Restoration Company, will be in the skies over Craigavon Hospital around 10.15am in tribute to NHS workers.

It’s part of a national tour for the iconic aircraft, with a special ‘Thank U NHS’ message painted on its wings.

The specially painted aircraft has been spotted up and down the UK after it was first flown at 8pm on the last ‘ClapForOurCarers’ Thursday.

After a positive response, Aircraft Restoration Company has organised several flights to thank NHS staff across the UK.

The public are now being offered the unique opportunity to nominate the name of a loved one that will be hand written onto the family-owned Aircraft Restoration Company’s blue photo-reconnaissance Spitfire to raise money for NHS Charities Together.

The names will be nominated by the public as a way of recognising small acts of kindness throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. From a family member to a kind neighbour, close friend or community hero, the public can now thank them with this special gesture.

In return for their donation, their nominated name will be one of those written on the Spitfire, which has an 80,000 name capacity. As the names are added, the UK will be able to watch this extraordinary visual spectacle unfold.

The JustGiving.com/nhsspitfire fundraising page is open.

To submit a name, the public will simply need to donate a minimum of £10 via the specific campaign’s JustGiving page, fundraising for the NHS Charities Together, whose funds support staff, patients and volunteers across the country.

They will then need to state their loved one’s name and reason for nomination in their donation comment.

The aim is to lift the spirits of those across the UK, many of whom are still living in some form of isolation, whilst also thanking the hospitals, communities and individuals who have been at the forefront of getting the country through the pandemic.

Founder of Aircraft Restoration Company, John Romain, said: “The response to our initial flight over the last 8pm #clapforourcarers Thursday was incredibly humbling, with hundreds of people from the local community sharing how wonderful it was to not only see the Spitfire, but also to read the message emblazoned across its wings.

“After such positive response we decided to leave the message painted on the Spitfire for the rest of the flying season, this is where the idea to handwrite the names of the nation’s loved ones onto the aircraft to raise money for the NHS Charities Together began.”

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