Isn't it incredible to think that when our National Health Service was born on 5th July 1948, it emerged from the nation's bombed out hospitals.

Today, it has become the largest employer of highly skilled professionals in Europe, with some of the most advanced facilities and treatments in the world. In fact, the NHS has an astonishing 1.3 million people devoting their working lives to caring for others. That's one in every 25 working age adults!

Philanthropy remains fundamental to the progress of the NHS - and never have we seen a greater example of what we can achieve together - than during the pandemic.

That's when the public came together like never before, enabling NHS Charities Together to begin making a huge difference for staff, volunteers and patients by funding thousands of innovative new projects. 

With birthday gifts from people like you, we'll continue to prioritise the wellbeing of the NHS workforce and fund the training of volunteers who can help ease the pressure on our NHS. And we'll help the NHS to keep on innovating for the benefit of staff, patients and the health of communities, so we have even more to celebrate in years to come.

Together, we really will continue to make the most significant impact on millions of people from the moment they are born until the day they leave us.

So let's celebrate our wonderful National Health Service and everyone within it. Thank you, NHS, for the last 75 years!