Oscar winning actress shows support for Salisbury District Hospital with poetry reading
It's about the staff's response to the pandemic
Last updated 14th Dec 2021
Oscar winning actress Olivia Colman has supported Salisbury District Hospital again, this time by doing a poetry reading.
The Stars Appeal patron has read two of the newly commissioned poems, to launch a new collection.
The Foundation Trust's collection, called My Name is Mercy, is inspired by some of the hospital staff’s experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.
'The Crown' actress has read two of them, called 'Fifth Season' and 'Nightshift'.
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Stacey Hunter, CEO of Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust said:
“We all truly have been through an experience like no other in the history of the NHS. The emotional and inspiring poems in ‘My Name is Mercy’ capture the psychological challenges that our staff faced in working through the pandemic and coping as best they could at work and in their personal lives. Martin Figura’s poems resonate with our staff and provide a testament to their resilience.”
The Trust commissioned award-winning poet Martin Figura in March of this year to interview staff from across the Trust, exploring how it felt to be at the frontline of the pandemic response.
Martin Figura said:
"Thank you to everyone who made this project happen. I am especially grateful to those who gave me their time to be interviewed. The lasting impact of the pandemic on their lives was palpable and deeply affecting. I hope the poems go some way towards honouring the experiences and sacrifice of the staff, those they cared for and their loved ones."
The Reflections project was made possible with funding from the League of Friends and The Stars Appeal.
The collection can now be purchased from Salisbury Cathedral shop.