Press release
9 March 2021
Artwork featuring the inspiring words of a poem read at the funeral of Sir Michael Marshall has been unveiled in the main ground floor corridor at Addenbrooke’s Hospital.
Sir Michael was a great friend and supporter of Addenbrooke’s Hospital as well as the President of its charity, Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust (ACT), for almost 20 years. He was also President of Marshall of Cambridge.
Sir Michael took a keen interest in the Emergency Department at Addenbrooke’s and introduced the Sir Arthur Marshall Award for Improvement in Emergency Medicine, in recognition of his father. This Award ran for several years and supported staff in A&E to innovate and improve patient care.
The new artwork at the hospital was created by artist Amelia Huw Morgan MA RCA FHEA, senior lecturer in illustration at Cardiff School of Art & Design.
Short fragments of text, such as ‘take time to love, and be loved’ float across four metres of wall, and a plaque next to the artwork reads: “In tribute to Sir Michael Marshall, a dynamic force for good, 1932 – 2019. Devoted friend of our hospital, an ardent supporter of our Emergency Department and President of Addenbrooke’s Charity for almost 20 years.”
Amelia said: “The Take Time commission has been a marvellous opportunity to focus on hope, wonder and joy in the everyday and to reflect Sir Michael Marshall’s ‘dynamic force for good’. I believe in the power of images to transform our experiences, to make an impact in perhaps perceivably invisible ways. I wanted to take the important words from the poem and form them flocking towards a kiss, a kiss to the world – a tender, loving kiss of humanity.”
Natalie Ellis, Head of Arts at Addenbrooke’s, said: “We chose to take the Take Time text as our starting point, as this old English prayer was read at Sir Michael’s memorial service, and the powerfully poignant words lend themselves so well to artwork, and certainly resonate in the challenging times we currently find ourselves in.”
CUH Arts is the hospitals’ arts programme, dedicated to transforming the hospital experience, promoting wellbeing and inspiring hope through creativity. Supported by Addenbrooke’s Charitable Trust, it delivers a year-round programme of arts activities, events and exhibitions, as well as getting involved in the design of new patient-facing areas, helping to relax and warm the clinical environment.
The hospital has over 4,000 pieces of artwork including from Damien Hirst and Quentin Blake as well as hosting other types of art including Dance for Health, CUH Arts’ flagship project, weekly creative movement & music group sessions for adult patients.
To find out more about the service or to donate please visit www.helpyourhospital.co.uk/arts.