Christ Church’s iconic Tom Tower, designed by Christopher Wren, was lit up in bright blue this evening to mark this week’s nationwide NHS Clap for Carers. Christ Church alumnus Dr Evan Edmond, who has been redeployed to work in the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford during the pandemic, had the honour of switching on the light.
Term began this week, but most students are unable to return to Oxford during the lockdown. Medical student David Kim, who is also working at the John Radcliffe Hospital and is one of the few students currently in residence at Christ Church, said: “It’s a lovely tribute to the doctors, nurses, carers and researchers in Oxford who are working round the clock. It should remind us of just how privileged we are to have them.”
Christ Church’s Clerk of Works, Steve Brown, put the new lighting in place, and pictures were shared across Christ Church’s social media channels, including Twitter and Instagram. Tom Tower will “go blue” every Thursday evening during the eight weeks of the Summer term as an ongoing reminder of the dedication shown by doctors, nurses, carers and other health care workers across the country who are helping to keep the public safe and well.
In addition to housing medical students, Christ Church has been able to support the NHS by providing accommodation in the College for doctors and other staff who are working at the John Radcliffe Hospital during the pandemic. Many NHS staff are being redeployed to support acute medicine and intensive care, with full-time clinical researchers like Dr Edmond with medical training also stepping in to help.
Christ Church’s Senior Censor, Professor Geraldine Johnson, said: “Our students have been telling us how much they miss being in Christ Church, particularly this week, as the reality of a new term under lockdown begins to sink in. Hopefully seeing the familiar form of Tom Tower in a new light, which makes visible our enormous gratitude for all that the NHS is doing in Oxford and across the country, will remind them of everything they love most about Christ Church.”
#ChristChurchTogether #ClapForOurCarers #ThankYouNHS
Top and left photos courtesy of Sarah Foot, right photo courtesy of Lucy Taylor.
