ARTISTS showed their support for the NHS by creating an exhibition on the pavements of Hereford city centre.

The aim of the event, which was attended by artists from Herefordshire and Worcestershire, was to celebrate the work that the NHS does and highlight its important role in British society.

It was organised by Herefordshire-based artist Jaime Jackson, who has an interest in the idea of artists as activists, stimulating public discussion on a range of important issues, from a non-political viewpoint.

Jaime said: "My daughter was saved by the NHS, if we have to pay for services in the future because of privatisation, which seems to be the case, I am not sure I will be able to afford to save her life again without selling the house we all live in, and many other people can’t do that either."

With permission given by Herefordshire Council for the event to go ahead, artists used various methods to create artwork, including chalk, photo collage, installation and text, even collecting people’s thoughts and opinions to add to the temporary display: anything that was temporary and did not damage the pavements could be used.

Shoppers stopped to talk to the artists while they were making their work, having conversations about their own experiences of the NHS and why it is important to them.