Birthday celebrations for the NHS kicked off 1940s style today, with a 1948 NHS costume tea party, complete with land girls, period uniforms, vintage coaches and ration books.
The party at the George Eliot Hospital in Nuneaton is the first of over 40 events being run by UNISON activists up and down the country to celebrate the 65th birthday of the NHS on 5 July.
Hospital branch secretary Dawn Downes invited staff, patients and the people of Nuneaton to come along and exchange ration tokens for a cup of tea, sandwich, jam tart and 1d worth of sweets all served on vintage china.
Regional secretary Ravi Subramanian explained the serious message behind the old-fashioned fun: “We were giving out ration books for people to claim their tea and sandwiches – our NHS is now having to ration services because of cuts.”
Well over 100 staff took part, with more than 15 in period costume.
“This is a fantastic way of reminding people that, despite the country coming out of the war and still having rationing, the Labour government was able to create the NHS,” said Mr Subramanian.
“Our politicians need to learn this lesson and, instead of austerity that just delivers misery, they should be aiming to build a better society.”
On the NHS’s 65th birthday on 5 July, UNISON is asking people to spend a minimum of 65 seconds to help us save the NHS:
- Sign the online petition that asks for changes to make it easier to see what private companies are planning for our NHS.
- Use your Facebook and Twitter accounts to spread the word about what is happening to the NHS and urge your family and friends to help us save it. Go to www.facebook.com/ournhsourfuture and follow @UNISONOurNHS on Twitter. Use hashtag #NHS65
- Visit the health pages on our site to find out more. UNISON in healthcare
