THE ‘Thank U NHS’ Spitfire plane will fly over Bradford today as part of its tour of the UK.
The Second World War will fly over Bradford Royal Infirmary on Sunday, August 30.
This is the latest leg of the plane's UK tour and tomorrow it will take in hospitals in the East Midlands, North West and Yorkshire.
The NHS Spitfire will reach BRI at 2.26pm, but you will have to be quick as it then goes on to the Calderdale Royal Hospital NHS at 2.30pm. As always, the morning and afternoon routes, including fly-over targets, are subject to weather and technical constraints.
The first flight route departs Duxford Airfield, near Cambridge, at 10am tomorrow (August 30) and will land at Blackpool Airport at 11.20am.
The Bradford fly-over is part of the second route which leaves Blackpool Airport at 2pm tomorrow, returning to Duxford Airfield at 3.36pm.
During the 1940s, Spitfire funds were set up by local communities around the UK and commonwealth countries to encourage a sense of purpose and hope in the struggle against adversity.
This Spitfire, which was specifically built and used for photo reconnaissance during the conflict, carrying cameras instead of weapons, will now return to the skies.
We're hoping they may take us in en route from Blackburn to Bradford 🙂 https://t.co/qR8ecbErNM
— Airedale Hospital (@AiredaleNHSFT) August 28, 2020
It has an interesting history, which includes being flown and air-raced by the famous female ATA pilot Lettice Curtis.
John Romain, founder and managing director of Aircraft Restoration Company, said: "The response to our initial flight over the last 8pm #clapforourcarers Thursday was incredibly humbling, with hundreds of people from the local community sharing how wonderful it was to not only see the Spitfire, but also to read the message emblazoned across its wings.
"After such positive response we decided to leave the message painted on the Spitfire for the rest of the flying season, this is where the idea to hand write the names of the nation’s loved ones onto the aircraft to raise money for the NHS Charities Together began."
Meanwhile, the public have been offered the chance to nominate the name of a loved one that will be hand written onto the family-owned Aircraft Restoration Company’s blue photo-reconnaissance Spitfire to raise money for NHS Charities Together.
The names will be nominated by the public as a way of recognising small acts of kindness throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.
From a family member to a kind neighbour, close friend or community hero, the public can now thank them with this special gesture.
In return for their donation, their nominated name will be one of those written on the Spitfire, which has an 80,000 name capacity.
As the names are added, the UK will be able to watch this extraordinary visual spectacle unfold.
The JustGiving.com/nhsspitfire fundraising page is open.
To submit a name, the public will simply need to donate a minimum of £10 via our specific campaign’s JustGiving page, fundraising for the NHS Charities Together, whose funds support staff, patients and volunteers across the country.
They will then need to state their loved one’s name and reason for nomination in their donation comment.
One name nominated per one donation. There is a maximum of 80,000 spaces for names and the donations close on September 20.
If you see the NHS Spitfire over Bradford tomorrow, send us your pictures and videos via our Facebook page, or email newsdesk@telegraphandargus.co.uk
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