75 years of the NHS marked with Salisbury Cathedral ceremony

The service, which marked the 75th anniversary of the NHS, was held at Salisbury Cathedral on Monday, June 26.

This milestone also comes 80 years after the US Army opened a hospital in Odstock and 70 years of the volunteer-run Odstock Radio.

The service included Wiltshire poet Saili Katebe’s first reading of his newly commissioned work that looked at how the faces in the hospital and the community have changed in that time.

Shaddahra Jain (left) and Pampha G-Thapa (right) reading prayers. (Image: Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust)

Salisbury District Hospital’s poet in residence Martin Figura, also read his commissioned work, a poem about the history of the hospital.

Led by the Dean and cathedral clergy, with members of the Trust’s chaplaincy, the service also included hospital staff and volunteers reading prayers and new prose by playwright Paula B. Stanic.

Read more: ​Elai Indian restaurant to replace the Boathouse in Salisbury

Saili Katebe said being part of the project was "a privilege", adding: "Taking up space in the Salisbury Cathedral for the celebration felt like a special punctuation to the project.

"It felt important to share the piece in that space with that audience. I don’t attend many services, but the message and throughline of the service honoured the moment and will certainly be a highlight for me.”