NHS Covid medal designed in Wakefield art studio

The medal given to around 10,000 NHS staff in the Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals Trust in in recognition of their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic was designed by a Wakefield studio.
Alex McIntosh and James Lodge of  Rhubarb Design House with the NHS Covid medal they designedAlex McIntosh and James Lodge of  Rhubarb Design House with the NHS Covid medal they designed
Alex McIntosh and James Lodge of Rhubarb Design House with the NHS Covid medal they designed

Alex McIntosh and James Lodge of Rhubarb Design House on Drury Lane were approached by the trust to come up with a suitable tribute that would represent the work done by every single member of the Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals Trust.

Alex said: "Our design features three NHS workers in silhouette wearing face coverings. We made them deliberately generic so they don't represent any particular role."

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Styled like a traditional service medal, the main illustration is held within a shape representing coronavirus particle, which features 19 spores. The outer edge of the medal features the words ‘dedication’, ‘resilience’ and ‘teamwork’.

The NHS Covid medaThe NHS Covid meda
The NHS Covid meda

James added: "The reverse features the NHS logo and a map of the Mid-Yorkshire Hospitals Trust.

"A linework texture in the form of repeated waves has been used on both sides of the medal, symbolising the constant peaks and troughs of COVID-19 cases that have been seen during the pandemic.

The colours on the ribbon represent the rainbow - the symbol of the NHS during the pandemic - and the medal is presented a cardboard box with a message from the trust's chief executive on the flap.

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Former chief executive at The Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, Martin Barkley said: "The pandemic has been one of the most significant challenges ever to face the NHS and has put unprecedented pressure on our staff, who have endured three significant waves of Covid.

"Many have put their job before their own family life in order to keep on delivering care to others, they have endured long shifts in hot and uncomfortable PPE, they have supported loved ones over and over again when delivering the worst possible news, and so many countless additional hours have been worked by both our frontline staff and those who support frontline staff.

“As such, we felt our staff deserved a lasting legacy to honour that contribution, which is why we are so pleased this small token, the manufacture of which has been funded through our hospital charity, has been so warmly received.”

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