'Windrush & Commonwealth NHS Nurses and Midwives Statue' by Dr Jak Beula

At the entrance to the Whittington Hospital, on Magdala Avenue, there is a stylised mother and child statue.

It depicts a mother cradling her newborn baby, with the mother wearing a nurses' fob watch.

This unique statue was commissioned to commemorate the extraordinary efforts of the some 40,000 Windrush and Commonwealth NHS nurses and midwives, who came to the UK between 1948 and 1973 in order to help the newly created NHS.

The statue consists of 16 pieces of granite and is 2.1m in height, width and depth and cost £100,000.

It was unveiled on Friday September 10, 2021.

A worn brass plaque reads:

'The Windrush & Commonwealth NHS Nurses and Midwives Statue' was conceived and designed by Johnny Alexander Bebeula Dodd, aka Dr Jak Beula. 

He named the piece "NICU Suite 16" because of the 16 pieces of granite used to create the statue. 

It is dedicated to all Commonwealth National Health Service staff, notably Nurses and Midwives from Africa and the Caribbean, who have worked in the NHS since its foundation in 1948. 

The Nubian Jak Community Trust thanks Whittington Health NHS Trust and Islington Council for supporting this NHS Memorial. 

Special thanks to Islington BH365, Haringey Council, Ernst & young, Arsenal Football Club, Entain PLC, Havas Group, Aviva, Crowdfunder UK and the generous donations from nursing organisations and the general public for the successful delivery of this statue. May she be a source of inspiration to all NHS staff and provide light,  hope and pride to those who come into contact with this memorial.

Florence Nightingale Museum

Florence Nightingale.

Friday October 28, 2022.

With so many museums about a myriad subjects it is often hard to choose which to visit. Fortunately, Erin and Keilyn made the decision to visit the Florence Nightingale Museum, which is in the grounds of St Thomas' Hospital, so is easy to reach. Emma booked the tickets and off we set.

Turkish lantern.

The museum, although small, is packed with information concerning the life of 'the lady with the lamp' from her childhood through the Crimean War and beyond, with each area of her life in three distinct areas.

Stained-glass.

There were also two family 'trails', of varying difficulty, that children could attempt, where they had to search the museum for specific items or pieces of information. This was a good way of keeping the girls engaged, rather than just looking at the exhibits. There are also interactive exhibits, which allow you to explore her life.

Florence Nightingale's final bedroom.

All in all It was a fascinating trip around the museum where we all learned a great deal. Like, why she was called Florence and that she owned over 60 cats.