A loving portrait of her NHS ‘super hero’ mum by Leicester schoolgirl Remi Mulroy has inspired a county-wide arts competition to support children in lockdown.

Thirteen-year-old Remi’s drawing showed her mum, Katie Abram, portrayed as half nurse and half super hero, battling the Covid-19 virus.

And Katie, a senior mental health nurse with Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, felt moved to help and inspire other children during Covid-19.

She said: “Both of my daughters, Remi and her little sister Maia, are very creative and love drawing and colouring. They would always come out with me for the Clap for Carers and one week Maia turned to me and said ‘You’re a super hero aren’t you mum?’

“My girls had never seen me in that way before and then Remi was doodling and drew me – as half nurse and half super-hero tackling the Covid-19 virus. It was really moving.

“Maia is a pupil at Alderman Richard Hallam School and has been attending throughout lockdown so I can work at the Bradgate Mental Health Unit where I have been redeployed from my role as a deputy ward sister on an acute mental health ward to support the new urgent mental health care hub.

“I brought the picture into work and showed it to colleagues. It really made us think about ways we can support our children and show them what heroes they are too. That’s when we came up with the idea of an arts competition.”

With the support of Tim Sayers, one of the Trust’s specialist arts in mental health co-ordinators, Katie has launched a children’s arts competition for youngsters across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland.

Children aged three to 16 are being encouraged to portray their NHS super heroes, through paintings, drawings, poetry, photography and the written word.

Prizes are also being offered for the winners and runners up in three age group categories: three to six years old, seven to 11 years old and 12 to 16 years old.

Entries should be emailed to communications@leicspart.nhs.uk (with the child’s name and age. Mark the email ‘NHS heroes competition’) or posted to NHS Heroes Competition, Bradgate Mental Health Unit reception, Glenfield Hospital site, Groby Road, Leicester LE3 9EJ)

Details are included on a downloadable flyer on the LPT website. 

The aim is to display entries at Trust bases – which include mental health units, outpatient clinics, community hospitals, health centres and office bases – and to host a ‘virtual exhbition’ on LPT’s website at www.leicspart.nhs.uk this summer.

The closing date for entries is Saturday 4 July.