Coronavirus: Farmers herd flock of sheep to spell out tribute to NHS workers

Innovative show of support for health workers takes family three attempts to perfect

A farming family have herded a flock of 150 sheep to make a tribute to NHS workers who are treating coronavirus patients which could be seen on a hillside for miles around.

The effort, which was timed to coincide with the fourth “Clap For Our Carers” on Thursday, took an entire family three attempts to herd the flock to spell “NHS” on the hillside in Luss in Argyll & Bute, Scotland.

Sixty-six-year-old Bobby Lennox drove a quad bike to produce the shape of the three letters, while his granddaughter Katie Nicholson followed behind with buckets of sheep feed which the animals stopped to eat.

“We feed the sheep every morning and they come and follow behind the quad bike,” Kay Wilson, Mr Lennox’s daughter, said.

“We tried different angles and were third time lucky.”

Ms Wilson said that yesterday was the last chance they had to complete the tribute because the sheep would soon be off the hill and back in sheds for lambing.

She added: “We’re out every Thursday clapping for the NHS and nobody can hear us so we wanted people to do something people in the area could see.”

The tribute was one example of efforts across the UK to raise spirits during the Covid-19 pandemic this week by showing gratitude to key workers in the NHS.

(Kay Wilson / SWNS.COM) (SWNS)

On Thursday, NHS staff thanked the public for their support in a video broadcast on ITV after the fourth week of applause for employees in health and social care.

“We are working tirelessly to fight off an invisible enemy, but we are not alone. We hear you. The clapping echoes through every hospital,” the medics said.

“Your support every week reminds us that we are all in this together, so thank you. And from the bottom of our hearts, thank you for staying home."

Additional reporting by agencies