NHS Birthday: Pickering Castle to 'light up blue' for health service's birthday

Pickering Castle will be lit up with blue lights.

Pickering Castle will be amongst more than 30 buildings and landmarks across the North East and Yorkshire to light up blue for the NHS' birthday.

Venues and landmarks will be transformed with blue lights to mark the occasion of the NHS 73rd birthday.

The big blue switch on will happen this evening, Saturday July 3.

Richard Barker, NHS England and NHS Improvement’s Regional Director for North East and Yorkshire, said the anniversary of the founding of the national health service was a moment to reflect upon an extremely challenging year, and celebrate its achievements including the roll-out of the Covid vaccination programme.

Mr Barker said: “The NHS 73rd birthday is a chance to say a big thank-you to our staff, partners, a whole army of volunteers, and local communities for working so hard to deliver the extraordinary Covid-19 vaccination rollout.

“While marking, over the coming days, all the NHS and its partners have achieved, we’ll also pause, as a simple act of respect, to remember those who, sadly, have lost their lives to Covid.

“In the North East and Yorkshire I’m delighted to announce that, once again, we have had a strong and enthusiastic response to our call to ‘Light Up Blue’ to help mark the NHS Birthday."

Social media updates and photos on Saturday evening can be shared using hashtag #NHSBirthday