Story of Hassan Akkad, who moved to London from Syria in 2015, is among some recent good news

As NHS staff continue to work around the clock to tackle the coronavirus crisis, people across the country are paying tribute in increasingly creative ways. Meanwhile a 98-year-old has made an unexpected recovery and pupils at a special school came together in a virtual choir.

Syrian film-maker becomes a hospital cleaner

A Syrian film-maker in London, who signed up to become a hospital cleaner, made an emotional plea for people to embrace diversity as he praised NHS staff who come from all over the world.

“The nurses and the ward hosts and the cleaners and the porters are the spine of the hospital,” said Hassan Akkad on Good Morning Britain, as he fought back tears. “And they are from everywhere, the Caribbean, Chad, the Philippines, Spain, Poland.

“I hope if this teaches us one thing, it teaches us to be kinder to one another despite where we come from. I hope this changes us for the best.”

Akkad, 32, arrived in the UK in late 2015, documenting his difficult journey for a BBC film that went on to win a Bafta.

In a now viral tweet, Akkad said he was “honoured to join an army of cleaners disinfecting Covid wards [at] our local hospital after receiving training”.

He added: “London has been my home since leaving Syria, and the least I can do is making sure my neighbours and the amazing NHS staff are safe and sound.”



Country gets creative with NHS tributes

People around the country are thinking of creative ways to pay tribute to hardworking NHS staff.

A family in Chandler’s Ford near Southampton used Christmas lights to create a display showing their appreciation for the NHS.

Gary Woodman and his family used white and blue lights to spell out NHS surrounded by a heart to show “a little bit of respect”.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Christmas lights are used to show appreciation for the NHS. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

The family decided to go the extra mile after they realised a neighbour who lives opposite works for the ambulance service.

Meanwhile, in Northumberland, a huge “NHS THANK YOU” message has been mowed on to the lawn outside Northumbria specialist emergency care hospital in Cramlington, while a farm in Barkisland, West Yorkshire, sprayed NHS on to a ewe and her newborn lambs instead of numbers.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest A farm in Barkisland, West Yorkshire sprayed NHS on to a ewe and her lamb. Photograph: Simon Sturdee

Haigh Farms sprayed the ewe and her newborn with the tag as the lamb was born on the evening of 2 April, the night of the second nationwide clap for carers to thank NHS staff.

Pupils join together for virtual choir

Elms Bank school in Bury, Greater Manchester, has created a virtual choir for pupils and staff to join together in their singing.

The special educational needs school set up a #keepsinging challenge when pupils with health issues started self-isolating at home, and it has since evolved into a virtual choir.

“Singing is just such a huge part of our community and we didn’t want to lose that,” said assistant headteacher Catherine Dent. “Our children love singing and it’s a good form of communication for them. We’ve got a third of our school in our school choir.”

Dent recorded herself singing True Colours, with a colleague playing the musical accompaniment, before sending the video to parents to record their children singing along. They then put all the videos together to create the choir.

“We were amazed by the number of videos … and not just our more able children, from our real low-ability children as well, so that was really nice,” said Dent. “It shows that everyone can achieve.”

Many of the participants joined in with Signalong, an alternative type of signing. “It’s a massive part of our communication because obviously some students are non-verbal, so we encourage everyone to sign,” Dent said. “Singing and signing just goes together for us.”

Elms Bank School (@BankElms) Super excited to share our FIRST EVER #ElmsBankVirtualChoir video 🎧



Full version https://t.co/KhNCqIVacc



What an amazing Elms Bank community ✨To all the NHS workers...you are beautiful like a rainbow 🌈 #ThankYouNHS #KeepSinging #WorldHealthDay #COVID19 #SocialDistancing pic.twitter.com/xsZmRe9VSP

Woman, 98, makes makes coronavirus recovery

Daphne Shah, 98, tested positive for Covid-19 at Dundee’s Ninewells hospital and spent five days there before making a full recovery and being discharged on Monday.

“When she left in the ambulance, I honestly never thought I’d see her again,” her son, Wesley Shah, told the BBC. “They had never come across a person of nearly 99 who has recovered from the virus.”

Wesley said his mother was relatively healthy before she contracted the virus, and he called medical assistance when she developed a cough and high temperature. After initially being prescribed antibiotics, she was admitted to hospital and diagnosed with coronavirus.

“She didn’t even need to go on a ventilator and yet she was struggling for air when she left (home),” he said. “The NHS in Scotland have always been tops, but this time around they have just been unbelievable.”

He is now looking forward to celebrating his mother’s 99th birthday in July, and hopes she will be able to receive her message from the Queen when she turns 100 next year.

He added: “I thought it would be a shame if Covid took her life before then, because she was doing so well.”

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