Staff and patients at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust are marking 75 years of the NHS with a host of special events.
Trust hospitals across Dudley, Walsall, Sandwell and Wolverhampton are holding events for patients and staff to wish the NHS a big happy birthday.
The anniversary marks 75 years since the NHS was launched on 5 July 1948, ushering in a new age of universal healthcare free at the point of use for people across Britain.
From Bushey Fields Hospital in Dudley and Dorothy Pattison Hospital in Walsall to Hallam Street Hospital in West Bromwich and Penn Hospital in Wolverhampton, the celebrations are a chance to show pride and appreciation for the NHS and its staff.
Marsha Foster, chief executive at Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said: “The 75th anniversary of the NHS is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our staff and the dedication they demonstrate every day to care for our Black Country community.
“The NHS is a national institution and touches all of our lives. It is lovely to share the day with teams at our Trust as we pay tribute to the NHS on this milestone birthday.”
The celebrations do not end on 5 July, as the Trust has partnered with Sandwell Valley parkrun for a special version of the popular running even on Saturday 8 July.
NHS staff, volunteers and the wider community are invited to pull on their trainers and walk, jog or run around the scenic 5k route to celebrate the NHS.
Anyone who wishes to take part should register their place at: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/sandwellvalley/
The celebrations are the culmination of weeks of special events to celebrate both 75th anniversaries of the NHS and the arrival of the Windrush Generation. A Windrush flag was raised at Bloxwich Hospital on 22 June to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Windrush Day and the vital contribution the Windrush Generation made in building the NHS.
The Trust also held a Windrush celebration event in Wolverhampton on 30 June which featured guest speakers, a specially commissioned poetry performance and an exhibition chronicling the experiences of the Windrush Generation.