17 February 2023
Newsdesk
On tonight’s Graham Norton Show, Dame Judi Dench can be seen proudly wearing an NHS Charities Together blue heart pin badge, showing her support for the NHS ahead of the UK release of Allelujah on 17 March.
Described as ‘a love letter to the NHS’, Pathé’s Allelujah is a new film based on a stage play of the same name by Alan Bennett, now reworked by Heidi Thomas – the award-winning creator of Call the Midwife. The story of a small Yorkshire hospital threatened with closure, the film celebrates the spirit of the hospital’s patients, while paying tribute to staff battling ever-growing demand.
The blue heart has become a symbol of love and affection for the NHS since the Covid-19 pandemic, and represents NHS Charities Together – the national charity caring for the NHS, which works with a network of over 230 NHS charities around the UK to provide extra services and support.
Speaking on her decision to wear the badge, Dame Judi Dench said: “I am a great supporter of the NHS and am thrilled to be able to show my support by wearing the blue heart pin badge, particularly in the NHS’ 75 anniversary year.”
Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive of NHS Charities Together, said: ““At NHS Charities Together we love the NHS, and we’re here for everyone who loves it, so we were overjoyed to see Dame Judi Dench show her love by wearing our blue heart on the Graham Norton sofa. The NHS is facing some overwhelming challenges right now, and the support NHS charities provide for the incredible workforce and their patients has never been more important. We are proud to work with a network of over 230 NHS charities all over the UK – and it’s wonderful to see a national treasure supporting another national treasure!”
Since the beginning of Covid pandemic in March 2020, NHS Charities Together has allocated over £146 million to fund a range of projects supporting NHS staff, patients and volunteers. These include counselling services, helplines, and intensive psychological support for NHS staff, plus training for emergency responders, research into long COVID, and specialist equipment. The charity has also funded hundreds of community partnership projects to tackle health inequalities and prevent ill health in the community.
To find out more about the work of NHS Charities Together, please visit nhscharitiestogether.co.uk.
