Macclesfield FC's Robbie Savage and Rob Smethurst have unveiled commemorative COVID-19 mural at the hospital

The commemorative mural has been donated to East Cheshire NHS Trust by local artist, James O'Meara, to reflect the courage, hard work and commitment of staff and volunteers during the pandemic.

The bespoke mural, which is positioned at the rear entrance of Macclesfield Hospital, depicts scenes and memorable slogans which reflect the experiences of staff who worked on the front line during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To mark the unveiling, Mr Savage and Mr Smethurst were welcomed to a ribbon-cutting ceremony along with the artist and Trust staff.

Mr Smethurst said: "Robbie and myself would like to offer our heartfelt gratitude and thanks to all the staff who did such a tremendous job caring for patients during the pandemic. We are delighted to be here today and couldn't be prouder of our local community."

Lynn McGill, the Trust's chairperson, said: "It is a great honour to officially unveil this commemorative mural which will act as a central point of reflection for all our staff and volunteers who worked tirelessly throughout the pandemic, as well as sharing our aspirations for the health and wellbeing of our community.

"On behalf of everyone at the trust, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to James for bringing his creative vision to life and for his generosity in donating this mural which I'm sure will take pride of place here for many years to come.

"I would also like to thank our local supporters Robbie Savage and Rob Smethurst for joining us to mark the occasion and for sharing our aspirations for the health and wellbeing of our community."

Artist James O'Meara said, "I'm deeply honoured to have produced this mural for East Cheshire NHS Trust.

"It really has been a labour of love for me to offer this work as a tribute to not only the medics, but everyone who works in the NHS."

Owner Rob Smethurst and Director of Football Robbie Savage are the driving forces behind our town's new football club Macclesfield FC, who first started the club in October 2020.

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