Celebrations for the NHS’s seventy birthday in Stroud will be opened by the first baby in Great Britain to be born into the health service.

Aneira Thomas, who was born one minute past midnight on 5 July 1948, will be delivering a speech at NHS 70 Stroud, organised by campaign group Stroud Against the Cuts, at Lansdown Hall on Saturday, July 7.

She was named after Aneurin Bevan, the minister for health at the time the NHS was founded, and she went on to become a mental health nurse.

Her daughter is now a paramedic.

Aside from Aneira's speech at 10.30am, where she will talk about her birth and stress the importance of the NHS, Stroud Against the Cuts has planned films, exhibitions and stalls for the birthday celebrations.

The group, which campaigns against privatisation of the NHS and cuts to its cash, is paying for the day in part thanks to online donations, after Stroud Town Council turned down a funding bid over fears the day could become too political for public money.

At the day, feature film-maker Rhonda Evans will be showing her film ‘The NHS: Where it all began’ while the NHS’s history will be detailed by Jack Saunders from the People’s History of the NHS project and veteran local GP Dr Roy Lamb.

Music will be provided by Songs of Change Choir and Stroud Red Band, and an actor playing Aneurin Bevan will cut an NHS birthday cake.

There will be talks on the 'NHS in an international context’ and ‘NHS issues in rural areas’, as well as stalls, activities for children, and music from 1948 lindy hop dancing.

Before festivities begin in July, a photographic exhibition on how the NHS is funded goes on show in Lansdown Gallery from Monday, June 25 to Saturday, June 30.

Stroud Against the Cuts will also take a coach of people to London for a national celebration and demonstration on Saturday, June 30.

More info available at: NHS70Stroud.wordpress.com.