Photographer Rankin and philropy partner to create a digital tribute to the NHS Staff

To mark the 2nd year since the beginning of the pandemic, philropy and portrait photographer Rankin have partnered to create a digital philanthropy card featuring NHS Charities Together to enable anyone to pay tribute to the NHS staff.

Like any new idea, this one came from the past. philropy’s philanthropy cards are a new type of digital collectible card that follow decades of collectible cards tradition, but have been designed to make a difference. philropy’s cards feature charitable organisations, and one can buy, collect and share them to show support, while inspiring others to do the same.

The picture on the card is part of a series of powerful and personal portraits Rankin photographed of doctors, nurses and other NHS staff who had responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, and shows Dr Farzana Hussain, General Practitioner at Project Surgery in Newham, whose dedication has never wavered; “Now more than ever, it’s important that we see the humanity that makes up our GP practices, community services and hospitals. Every member of staff has their own story, fears and hopes for the future. I think Rankin!s photography brings this out really well.”

Rankin said at the time: “As the coronavirus pandemic began to unfold, I was moved by the incredible efforts of people across the NHS and I wanted to document who they are and their role in fighting this disease. Taking a portrait is a unique and intimate experience, even with social distancing in place. Everyone had their own inspiring story which to them was just doing their job. I hope these images portray the resilience and courage they show every day in the face of real adversity.”

The proceeds will go to NHS Charities Together to support their efforts helping staff through the long-term impact of the pandemic. To date the charity has funded more than 400 projects dedicated to the mental health and wellbeing of NHS staff, including counselling, helplines, and specialist psychological support.

Ellie Orton OBE, Chief Executive at NHS Charities Together, said: “We are so incredibly grateful to Rankin and philropy for their efforts to support the NHS and its staff. It’s been just over two years since the Covid-19 pandemic started and while in many ways the situation has improved, there is still a long road to recovery. As the national, independent charity caring for the NHS, we are here to help achieve better healthcare for us all. With your support we can help the NHS go further, and provide the extras that make a massive difference to staff, patients and communities across the UK.”

The card is available for $2.99USD (approx £2.28) at philropy.com/nhs, with $2.00USD redistributed to NHS Charities Together.