COVID-19 has set many challenges, and at this Trust  the most recent was how to acknowledge, thank, support, and collaborate with 8,500 NHS workers, and on a budget of no more than £1 per head. The Big Shout Out, a digital initiative and part of a wider colleague engagement plan, became a Trust phenomenon that will stand the test of time: 3 virtual festival tents, over 40 hours of digital content, two wellbeing days, based on the themes of compassion, collaboration, and celebration. It showed how much colleagues are valued by providing something that they and their families could access, despite COVID restrictions, to help them  celebrate what they had achieved and provide an opportunity for self-care, but also give a participatory and inclusive experience.

Key points

• Unexpected, things can happen when the right team come together, not based on organisational position but talent, experience, and ability
• Effective use of collaborative platforms, networks and social media to tackle a challenging problem
• Unusual, creative approach
• Led to setting up leadership collaborative to foster the special methodology of achieved innovation.