NHH introduces colourful brand refresh and new partnership with Northumberland County Archives and Museum in celebration of 20th anniversary
Sunday, October 22nd, 2023, marked the 20th anniversary of the day Northumberland Hills Hospital (NHH) opened its doors to the very first patient. As a growing organization with a dedicated team in an exceptionally generous community, NHH has a lot to celebrate as it enters its third decade.
One of the ways the hospital has chosen to do this is with a refresh of its brand, a project that has provided an opportunity to reflect on NHH’s rich past, while looking forward to its future.
A deliberative process that took place over the course of several months, the brand refresh involved research into evolving accessibility standards, as well as a series of internal focus groups led by NHH’s 20th Anniversary Working Group to identify the elements of the previous NHH brand that should be maintained.
Unveiled to staff, physicians, midwives and volunteers last month, the refreshed brand, will begin to roll out publicly today across the hospital’s digital platforms.
Comprised of a bright new colour palette, a more accessible sans serif font and a starburst icon that builds on the unique caring hands imagery long associated with NHH, NHH’s refreshed brand signals both the circle of care intrinsic to health care, and the team’s commitment to collaboration across professions and within the community.
The updated icon features eight hands, representing the communities served across west Northumberland County, namely the Town of Cobourg, the Municipality of Port Hope, Alderville First Nation and the townships of Hamilton, Cramahe and Alnwick/Haldimand, as well as the two largest bodies of water, Lake Ontario and Rice Lake, that frame the hospital’s unique rural and urban catchment area.
“Our previous branding served us very well,” said Jennifer Gillard, Vice President, Patient Experience, Public Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, “but after two decades there was agreement that our branding was due for an update to enhance its accessibility and functionality in an increasingly digital environment. With our Board’s support, we took the occasion of the 20th anniversary to do this. Our process was guided by an interdisciplinary working group made up of front-line staff and volunteer partners, including NHH’s Auxiliary, Foundation and Patient and Family Advisory Council (PFAC). We were very pleased to arrive at a consensus on the new brand imagery which was strongly endorsed by Senior Leadership and our Board just prior to our anniversary. We’re looking forward to putting it to good use in the months and years ahead across all our many communication channels, starting today.”
“It has been wonderful to watch this process unfold and to hear the feedback from staff, physicians, midwives, and volunteers seeing the final result of the work.,” added Susan Walsh, NHH President and CEO. “Our transition will be completed over time, using a phased approach. In some instances, we will wait until there is a need to refresh signage or a document, before incorporating the new branding. The work has been very well done by the Working Group. They were given a tall order, to bridge old with new, in an accessible and refreshing way, and on behalf of the Board and the entire hospital, we thank them for their efforts. Watch for the new branding across our website, www.nhh.ca, our social media channels, and other digital platforms this week with more to come as we complete this important update.”
New partnership with Northumberland County Archives and Museum (NCAM)
As NHH moves forward with the introduction of a refreshed brand, the hospital is also pleased to announce today the establishment of a new partnership with Northumberland County Archives and Museum (NCAM) to ensure the organization’s rich history is properly preserved for future generations.
In a message to staff, physicians, midwives and volunteers, President and CEO Susan Walsh announced that NHH, with NCAM’s assistance, is compiling historical documents and artifacts from NHH, NHH Auxiliary and NHH Foundation. The aim will be to add to associated records already in NCAM’s possession and, over time, to arrange, describe and photograph the collection to better support access by future researchers and residents alike interested in learning more about the history of the hospital and its volunteer partners in the region.
“Initial conversations with NCAM began this past summer, and we were thrilled at the positive interest and support. Since our first phone discussions, NCAM’s Curator, Katie Kennedy, and Archivist, Abigail Miller, have spent time with us reviewing boxes of materials for consideration,” explained Jennifer Gillard. “There are wonderful stories to be saved and shared about the construction of this place, its rich history and all the many people and projects that have contributed to the strong and growing organization it is today. Historical documents, photos and mementoes exist in multiple locations throughout the hospital, as well as in the Auxiliary and Foundation offices. With NCAM’s guidance, we are now pulling these materials together.”
NCAM, in turn, has commenced the process of assessment, advising on preservation priorities and on the types of information local researchers have an interest in accessing.
“NCAM’s input has been instrumental as we work to preserve the most material artifacts and ensure they are available to local residents in the future,” said Jennifer Gillard, “NHH has a very rich history, and we are keen to do all in our power to help preserve it for future generations to build on.”
“With the move to NCAM’s new and expanded home expected in summer 2024, we anticipate that materials will be transferred from NHH to the new NCAM for permanent preservation soon after we move in,” indicated Abigail Miller “The new building, which will also be the home of the new Golden Plough Lodge long-term care facility, will meet a Class-A curatorial standard and include an expanded reading room for research, increased collections storage space, a processing lab, and programming space for exhibitions and community groups.”
“Detailed descriptions of the collection will be available online to ensure everyone can easily understand and access these important materials,” said Miller. “The request from the hospital is well aligned with our mandate to be an effective collaborative partner who brings value to community heritage and well-being initiatives, and to build a collection that reflects our community and represents who we are and how we got here. We look forward to working together with NHH, NHH Foundation and NHH Auxiliary to celebrate their rich history and move this important local preservation work forward.”