The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust has honoured The British Ironwork Centre for their contribution to the Trust.

Simon Wright, chief executive of The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust (SaTH), welcomed Clive Knowles, chairman of the British Ironwork Centre, to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital (RSH) and presented him with a Community Champion award in recognition of the business’ support and commitment to the Trust.

The British Ironwork Centre is supporting SaTH throughout 2018 – the 70th year of the NHS – with a number of projects, including the creation of a sculpture that will be made from obsolete hospital equipment.

Simon said: “I am very grateful to Clive and everyone at the British Ironwork Centre for their support and look forward to working with them on this exciting sculpture project. He has even promised me the chance to go down to the Centre in Oswestry and have a go at welding an item of equipment to the sculpture.”

Clive has personal reasons for wanting to do something spectacular to mark the 70th anniversary of the NHS.

He said: “A couple of years ago I was diagnosed with cancer and became seriously ill, and although I have now put that behind me it has given me great empathy with the NHS and with hospitals generally. I was in hospital for three months – first at RSH and then at The Christie in Manchester – and I will always be grateful for the care I got from our National Health Service.

“Our thanks go out to SaTH for this very prestigious award. We are working closely with them this year to produce the sculpture, along with a number of other projects that we will reveal very soon.”

SaTH will celebrate the 70th birthday of the NHS with a specially-themed fun day this summer.

The event, which will be held in the grounds of the Shropshire Conference Centre RSH on Saturday, July 7, starting at 11am with a 5km circular fun run, will see the unveiling of the sculpture.