Clap For Our Carers: How to join in with tonight’s event to celebrate NHS and key workers

NHS workers, both current and retired, have been called upon to work on the frontline of the coronavirus pandemic.

In order to demonstrate the public’s appreciation for everything NHS and other key workers are doing throughout the outbreak, a weekly national clapping event has been organised in their honour.

Here’s everything you need to know, from the time of the event to how you can get involved:

Tonight’s national “Clap For Our Carers” is taking place this evening, on Thursday 14 May, at 8pm.

The first national clapping event was held on Thursday 26 March at the same time.

While the event was originally held in honour of the NHS, the “Clap For Our Carers” event now pays tribute to all key workers including NHS staff, supermarket workers and teachers.

"Healthcare workers, emergency services, armed services, delivery drivers, shop workers, teachers, waste collectors, manufacturers, postal workers, cleaners, vets, engineers and all those who are out there making an unbelievable difference to our lives in these challenging times… bravo, you are amazing!" it says on the event's website.

The organisers behind the event ask that as many people as possible get involved by applauding either outdoors or through open windows at the designated time.

In addition to clapping for the NHS and key workers at 8pm, the organisers of the event are also encouraging members of the public to share the message urging more people to join in.

“Use our Image to share via Whatsapp, social media or other digital channels to spread the word!” they said, referencing a downloadable image on the event’s website that people can use to raise awareness of the initiative.

Annemarie Plas, who founded the event, said that since creating the website on GoDaddy on Friday 20 March, it has been “heartwarming” to see the support the idea has received.

“The NHS are on the frontline and doing their very best to stop the spread of the current pandemic — whilst also being exposed to the virus every day,” she said.

“That’s why I started Clap for our Carers — in the hope that this evening we can all come together to show our appreciation and give those working on the front line a much needed boost.”

On the “Clap For Our Carers” website, it states that this initiative has already been carried out in homage to health workers in countries including Spain, France and the Netherlands.

“And being a Dutch Londoner, I want to pass this on in the country I feel so at home, and the NHS had been nothing but amazing to my family and myself!” Ms Plas wrote on the event’s website.

In addition to a nationwide round of applause, the first “Clap For Our Carers” event was also observed with the lighting up of several significant landmarks.

Sites including the Wembley Arch, the Royal Albert Hall and the London Eye lit up in blue in tribute to the NHS at 8pm.

The lighting up of the landmarks was part of the #LightItBlue campaign, which coincided with #ClapForOurCarers.

“To show our support for all NHS staff and frontline workers, the Cathedral will be lit in blue this Thursday,” the Twitter account for Lincoln Cathedral wrote.

It was recently reported that NHS staff were left in tears after being given bouquets of flowers while doing their morning supermarket shops.

Several supermarkets, including Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury’s have introduced dedicated shopping hours for healthcare workers to ensure they do not go without after stockpiling left shelves empty.