Scotland's first Covid memorial to NHS staff unveiled in Edinburgh

The sculpture is in the grounds of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh

The first memorial in Scotland dedicated to NHS staff who worked through Covid-19 has been unveiled in Edinburgh.

Four life-sized statues of healthcare workers in scrubs have been erected in the grounds of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Sculptor Kenny Hunter spoke with workers to find out their emotions while working during the pandemic.

He used those interviews to shape his piece called, Your next breath.

The sculptures are not on plinths so people can walk beside them.

Mr Hunter interviewed Anna Paisley, Clare McNaught, and Nirmal Kumar about their time as medical staff during the pandemic.

Life-sized figures

Mr Hunter, who is a lecturer at Edinburgh College of Art, said: "The unveiling of the sculpture has been the culmination of over two years of concentrated work and its narrative is based on the testimonies of those who worked on Covid wards, so I'm extremely thankful to each of those who opened up to me about their experiences.

"It has been a real privilege to be involved in such an important memorial which I hope symbolises our collective gratitude toward all NHS healthcare workers and their selfless actions." 

The memorial was initially modelled in clay and then cast into resin, and was previewed at this stage in front of King Charles in June, before being cast in bronze and installed in the grounds of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

Dr McNaught, consultant colorectal and surgeon, and vice president-elect of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, said: "Seeing the sculptures in-situ like this has been incredibly emotional.

"Kenny has taken the emotions my colleagues and I were experiencing at the time, which were a real mixture of darkness and light, and transformed them into this stunning piece of art.

"I think the life-sized figures are very impactful. As a viewer, they really make you stop and think."

Professor Michael Griffin, president of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, said: "The unveiling of this striking piece of public art represents not only a significant moment in history, but also offers us an opportunity to stop and reflect on all the NHS workers who lost their lives whilst working on the frontline during the pandemic.

"We are delighted to see this incredible piece of art come to fruition. I hope that this memorial, which will now be situated permanently within our college grounds, will encourage visitors for years to come to consider how much healthcare workers sacrificed and how vital they were throughout this period."