A hospital in Bristol has taken down a series of Union Jacks which were raised to bring “joy and a smile” to patients inside.
Bristol Rises, which bills itself as a grassroots movement to raise the colours and celebrate patriotism, said it had hoisted a number of British flags on lampposts outside Southmead Hospital.
It said that following “kind requests from long-stay patients”, volunteers raised four flags to “bring a sense of pride, comfort, and a lift in spirits to those spending time there”.
“We think they look absolutely wonderful,” it added.
“More importantly, we hope they bring a smile to patients, visitors, and staff alike.
“We also want to take a moment to express our deepest appreciation for the incredible medical teams who work tirelessly every day.”
Footage from their social media page showed locals climbing up ladders to tie the banners to lampposts outside the front of the facility.
But Southmead, which took in Princess Anne after her fall in 2024, claimed the flags could feel “unsettling”.
Volunteers raised four flags to ‘bring a sense of pride, comfort, and a lift in spirits to those spending time there’
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FACEBOOK/BRISTOL RISES
A spokesman for North Bristol NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, said the flags were then removed.
“We recognise that flags and symbols can carry different meanings for different people, and unexpected displays like this can feel unsettling,” the trust said.
“It’s disappointing that our staff are having to deal with the additional workload and cost of dealing with this situation.”
The flags came down just three hours after they were raised.
UNION FLAGS UNDER FIRE – READ MORE:
Hospital staff rushed to pull down the flags just hours after they went up
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PAAt the same trust, 430 patients waited for more than 12 hours to be admitted to an A&E ward in December, the last month on record.
Bristol Rises said staff and patients were left “disappointed” by the flags being taken down.
It said it felt that the banners “represent the NHS”.
Reacting to the group’s post online, commenters called for volunteers to raise them again.
Commenters online called for volunteers to raise the flags once again
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FACEBOOK/BRISTOL RISES
“The way the trust reacted was embarrassing, acting like terrorist flags were up everywhere,” one said.
“Until recently they had a big Union Jack on the flag pole outside the main entrance.”
Another, however, claimed the flags were “distressing and intimidating” and had been raised to “bully and make some people feel bad”.