Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust COVID-19 Medal:

At the beginning of 2021, we were commissioned to design a medal for the Mid Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust, which would be presented to staff in recognition of their hard work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Styled like a traditional service medal, the design features the side profiles of three NHS workers wearing protective face coverings. They stand together; they show determination, and they look hopefully towards a future beyond the tribulations of COVID-19. The core illustration is held within a shape representing coronavirus particle, which features 19 spores. In addition, the outer edge of the medal features the words ‘dedication’, ‘resilience’ and ‘teamwork’.

The reverse features the NHS logo and a map of the Trust that awarded the medal, which makes the recognition feel more personal to the staff members receiving it. A linework texture in the form of repeated waves has been used on both sides of the medal, symbolising the constant peaks and troughs of COVID-19 cases that have been seen during the pandemic.

Medals are often presented in a plastic presentation box. By presenting the medal within a bespoke card box, we were able to reduce its environmental impact. The material also enabled us to include a message from the Chief Executive on the inside flap, printed in white foil. The medal fits snuggly within a recess and the colours in the jacquard ribbon stand out vibrantly; a symbolic rainbow set against a brooding sky.