"The sight and the sound, there's nothing like it!"

It was great to see Colonel Tom Moore punching his fist in the air victorious, celebrating his hundredth birthday on the remarkable achievement of raising £30 million for all those battling in their multiple and various roles across the frontlines throughout the NHS. It was fitting that his birthday should have been highlighted in a fly past by the airforce.

The sounds of the Spitfire and Hurricane surely brought back many incredible memories as he commented, “I am one of the few people here who’ve seen Hurricane and Spitfires flying past in anger, fortunately today they’re all flying peacefully. That’s one of the outstanding things. But I remember when they were flying not with peace, but with anger.”

Sounds and the memories they evoke have the capacity to transform and be transformed through their reimagination in new contexts, turning from war and violence to capturing the hearts and vision of millions of people. We should not underestimate their resonant power whether in silence, a handclap or an engine roar!

CONGRATULATIONS TOM AND THANK YOU NHS!!

From the Sounding Conflict Team