Hibs to wear shirts carrying 'Thank You NHS' message

Hibernian will wear shirts emblazoned with ‘Thank You NHS’ when next season gets underway.

The Easter Road side have decided to carry the message on the front of their shirts to show their appreciation for health workers’ efforts during the coronavirus pandemic.

Hibs will also declare their first home fixture of the 2020/21 campaign ‘Thank You NHS Day’ and will invite hundreds of health staff to Easter Road.

Supporters will be asked to pay the sum of £5 to have the logo applied, with all profits being donated to local NHS charity, the Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation.

Mock-up: How Hibs' shirt could look next season. — Mock-up: How Hibs’ shirt could look next season.

Hibs said they expected to hand over a six-figure donation to the NHS charity by the end of the season.

The club is also donating a minimum of 100 tickets to NHS staff for all home games.

Ronald Gordon, Hibs chairman, said: “In sport, we celebrate our heroes and our stars.

“The NHS have shown they are our true heroes and our stars – they have valiantly cared for and nurtured us through the most difficult and challenging health crisis of our lives.

“Their efforts on behalf of all of us, which still continue today, have been magnificent and Hibernian wants to say thank you and celebrate them in the most meaningful way that we can.”

Leeann Dempster, the club’s chief executive, said: “Our front-of-shirt sponsorship is our most visible and valuable sponsorship opportunity and we thought this season of all seasons we needed to show our appreciation to the NHS.

“For the avoidance of any doubt, this initiative does not cost the public purse one penny. It has been helped enormously by a small group of supporters who supported us in the idea and we are grateful to them all.”

Tim Davison, NHS Lothian chief executive, added: “This is a big-hearted move from Hibernian Football Club and I know that all our staff and patients will greatly appreciate the generosity and thoughtfulness of this wonderful gesture.

“We are proud of our amazing teamwork at NHS Lothian too, so are delighted and grateful that a club with such strong local community roots should honour us in this way.”