Sara sparks fun to boost morale of Whitchurch Community Hospital staff

Diagnostic radiographer Sara Sparks is employed by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust, but works at the hospital run by Shropshire Community Health (Shropcom).

She noticed the toll that coronavirus was taking on her colleagues’ health and wellbeing, and came up with a number of ways to help.

The green-fingered radiographer, who has worked alongside Shropcom colleagues at Whitchurch for the last seven years, instigated a sunflower growing competition.

And, as a keen and accomplished artist, she also took it upon herself to produce her own version of renowned artist Banksy’s picture of a small boy discarding his superhero figures to play with a nurse toy.

The picture drew international acclaim when it was unveiled at Southampton General Hospital in May.

Sara’s version is signed ‘Spanksy’ in tribute.

Sara said: “With the onset of the pandemic and all that surrounded it for the staff within the hospital, I thought it would be a nice idea to have a sunflower growing competition.

“I hoped it would give people something else to focus on when they went home and some light relief from the daily pressures.

“It evoked lots of conversations between departments regarding the best feed, location and watering regimes.

"In some cases our patient care proved better than our plant care, but everyone who took part really embraced the fun light-hearted element, which did a lot for general morale.”

The competition came to a close this week when the winner was announced.

First prize went to Teresa Dawkes, a radiographer from Newport Hospital, who was redeployed to Whitchurch during the pandemic to help cover extended opening hours.

Teresa’s sunflower grew to a whopping 260cm tall.

Sara hopes to turn the competition into an annual event at Whitchurch.

She said: “I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who took on the challenge and I look forward to an even bigger and better competition next year.”