Published Friday 24 April 2020 at 16:35
A message thanking the NHS, carers and all key workers spanning the size of a football pitch has been unveiled by Blackburn with Darwen Council.
The wording covers more than 5,000 square meters at Pleasington playing fields and has been captured using drone footage.
The idea was the brainchild of the council’s Assistant Manager for Green Spaces, Eddie Maxwell.
Eddie, aged, 50, who has worked at the council since 1997, contacted the local authorities’ contractors pitched in to offer their services for free.
He said:
“It’s turned out even bigger and better than I could ever have imagined!
“I’m always coming up with daft ideas and I wanted to do something big to thank the NHS, carers and all key workers right across Blackburn with Darwen.
“They are all doing an incredible job in extremely difficult circumstances and I wanted to find a way for the council to really show its appreciation.”
Dad-of-two and grandad, Eddie, who lives in Lower Darwen with partner Julia, linked in with the local authorities’ line paint and turf supplier, Rigby Taylor Ltd, and line painting contractor Richard Peel Ground Care Ltd, to get the idea off the ground.
They planned out the wording using an automatic line-making machine and it took more than two days to complete.
The whole project was captured for free by drone by local company Roxby HSEQ Risk Solutions Ltd and freelance cameraman Tim Benson also donated his services to help film the process to be able to share it with residents.
Eddie, who arranges the local Poppy Appeal each year for the Royal British Legion, said:
“It’s amazing to see it finished! This has been a real team effort with the council’s Parks Team really lending their support too and doing everything they can to make sure the whole area looks really good.
“I’d like to thank everyone involved. We hope that this message will help raise a few smiles and show our borough’s key workers, including those who work for the council, just how much we value what they are doing.”
Eddie has also been helping deliver parcels for the council’s new Help Hub which has been launched to help residents struggling due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Councillor Jim Smith, the council’s Executive Member for Environment, said:
“This is just brilliant – that’s the only word for it!
“What a way to thank the NHS, carers and all key workers right across Blackburn with Darwen.
“Our residents and own staff are working hard in incredibly difficult circumstances and they are doing us all proud.
“We hope this helps them know just how much we value them all.”
Denise Park, Chief Executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council, added:
“We’ve never been short of community spirit in Blackburn with Darwen and it is shining through now more than ever before.
“This message is for all our key workers – for those saving lives in the NHS, our carers who are facing situations they’ve never had to deal with before, all those keeping the borough safe and working hard for the benefit of our residents.
“On behalf of Blackburn with Darwen Council and the residents in our borough, I’d like to say a huge thank-you to each and every one of you.”