Wimbledon opens doors to NHS as Lord’s, Etihad and Silverstone help in coronavirus fight

WIMBLEDON will open up its gates to the NHS in Britain’s desperate fight against the coronavirus pandemic.

Other iconic English venues Lord’s, Silverstone and Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium have also joined the incredible Sports Aid support of the UK’s health service.

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With Wimbledon certain to be put back or even cancelled, the All England Club revealed in a statement: “We have offered our facilities to our local NHS providers and will help in whatever way.

“We are offering support to our local communities and have donated funds through our partnership with the British Red Cross and food stores through our partnership with City Harvest.”

The MCC are ready to provide rest areas at Lord’s for medical staff at the nearby Wellington and St John & St Elizabeth hospitals and have also allocated 75 spaces in their underground car park for NHS workers.

The Nursery Pavilion at the home of cricket is also being used as a storage facility by Wellington Hospital, freeing up more space for beds.

An MCC spokesperson said: “We want to help in any way we can.”

Detailed plans from Wimbledon officials will be revealed this week after the emergency board meeting to decide whether this summer’s championships will be cancelled for the first time since the Second World War.

Silverstone bosses are also set to offer the use of the circuit’s hi-tech medical centre to frontline NHS medics.

The fully-equipped site is located in the heart of the F1 circuit and boasts excellent facilities that can accommodate around 15 patients.

It has a two-bed minor treatment centre, two four-bed wards, a suite equipped with the latest digital x-ray and ultrasound equipment.

It also has a four-bed resuscitation room, a single-bed major treatment area and has recently been upgraded to include an isolation area.

All activities at the Northamptonshire track have been suspended until at least June 30.

And there is doubt as to whether the British Grand Prix on July 19 will go ahead as planned due to the pandemic.

Manchester City have also thrown open the doors of their stadium to the NHS.

Health chiefs have accepted the generous offer from the Premier League champions and are likely to move in over the next few days, utilising the facilities at the stadium as a training base for doctors and nurses.

While a temporary hospital is being set up at Manchester Central — formerly the G-Mex — so the city could have enough beds for the foreseeable future.