Monument to Black & Commonwealth Nurses in NHS UK
Donation protected
We are celebrating the fact that tens of thousands of black nurses from the Caribbean and Africa and the wider commonwealth, have kindly given years of service to the national Health Service in the United Kingdom. We plan to install a monument to their work and sacrifice. We need to raise additional funds to help to cover the costs.
A minimum of £27,000 is required to allow the historic installation of the NHS Windrush Black and Commonwealth Memorial statue to go ahead in North London. More details follow below. Will you donate any amount towards this cause?
(PRESS READ MORE 4 TIMES TO SEE THE ENTIRE PAGE)
The Project
The plan is to install a 70th Anniversary NHS statue on 22nd June, 2021. It will be dedicated to the Windrush and Commonwealth nurses who worked and practised in Great Britain, before and since the foundation of the National Health Service. It is time we recognised their worth and the fact that they are now an indispensable fabric of the NHS.
The statue will provide a focus for, is the role Commonwealth nurses have made since the formation of the National Health Service in 1948. It will provide a spotlight for the important contributions of these nurses. The statue will also be a legacy to former colonial nurses in Britain prior to the formation of the NHS. i.e. from Cuba Cornwallis (the Caribbean nurse who saved Lord Nelson’s life), to nurses and medics who served during both World Wars. It will provide a backdrop to explain how these nurses were recruited and volunteers, as well as the impact these nurses had on the NHS, as well as on modern Britain as a whole.
In 2020, Nurses and midwives form the largest collective professional group within the NHS. According to the National Health Service's own figures, one in every five are from BAME backgrounds, rising to much higher levels (up to 40 per cent) in some regions and parts of the country, such as London.
Ever helpful, and putting others before themselves they would risk danger for the sake of others. Retired Nurses from the Windrush Generation were asked recently to return to the front line Hospitals to help with the Covid Pandemic. Despite being in a vulnerable group they returned to help realising that the country needs them.
The Book - An Educational Tool
A book is being written which will have the stories of black nurses, past and present and their impact on the UK's National Health Service. It will contain real stories which include the following individuals.
Princess Eldoris Campbell who successfully challenged the discrimination she encountered to become Bristol’s first Black Ward Sister.
Daphne Steele who in 1964 made international headlines by becoming Britain’s first Black Matron.
An example of the strides made over the last 70 years is evidence by the Trinidadian born Jacqui Dunkley-Bent, Professor of Midwifery at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust - is the nurse who delivered both children of Prince William and Princess Kate (i.e. Prince George - the future heir to the throne,
and his sister - Princess Charlotte).
Laura Serrant, Professor of Nursing at Sheffield Hallam University, appeared at number eight on the annual Powerlist of the 100 most influential people of African and Caribbean heritage in 2017.
The Design
The design of statue will display the dignity and professionalism of these nurses, who despite some of the difficulties and challenges they had to endure, overcame them with a steely determination to succeed, and often with a smile on their
face.
The actual monument has an overall height of 7 ft and an overall width of 7ft
Weight in the region of 1.8 tonnes
The foundations 7 ft square and 14 inches deep.
The visible Monument is made of granite, natural stone and water polished no flammable material will be used on the memorial whatsoever.
The foundations will be made of concrete and the monument will be held together by a stainless steel frame for which the Granite is sealed upon.
Proposed Location
It is proposed that the statue be installed at the Whittington Hospital, Archway, North London.
The Whittington Hospital has a history of employing African and Caribbean nursing staff since the foundation of the NHS in 5th July 1948. Over the last 70 years a number of important contributions have been made by black and minority nurses working at the hospital, and this was recognized by special NHS Windrush Awards ceremony in 2018. Among the winners was veteran nurse Comfort Offorjindu, who was the recipient of the NHS Lifetime Achievement Award for her service to Whittington Hospital.
Unveiling Event
A date has been agreed for the unveiling to take place in late October. It will be published after consultation between Nuban Jak Community Trust and the Whittinghton Hospital Trust Board.
Cost of the Monument
The estimated cost for the NHS Windrush & Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives
Memorial is £64,500.00 (excluding R&D). We are look to raise a total of £27,000 towards this.
Organization Behind the Statue
This project is the brainchild of Nubian Jak Community Trust Ltd (NJCT) - a registered charity in England and Wales (registered
no. 1169656) with a plaque scheme and sculpture scheme approved by English Heritage, and endorsed by the Runnymede Trust as a ‘Real Histories’ provider.
The NJCT has delivered a several high profiled events in partnership with Westminster, including installing what is
considered to Britain’s highest profiled commemorative plaque, which was place on Her
Majesty’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall.
In June 2017, the Trust organized the installation of Britain’s first national memorial to commemorate soldiers from Africa and the Caribbean who served alongside Great Britain and its Allies during both World Wars. The monument, was publically endorsed by Her Majesty the Queen, and unveiled by Sir Michael Fallon on 22nd June 2017.
The unveiling of the African and Caribbean War Memorial in Brixton, London,
received national media coverage, including to date over 8 million views on YouTube. The event was attended by dignatories including politians and celebrities and over 3000 community well wishers.
Black Women go Unappreciated
Black Women have not always been noticed for their sterling work in the life and development of the United Kingdom. There are only two other statues featuring black women in the UK.
There are only two statudes dedicated to black females in London's public space. One is of Cecile Nobrega - educator and writer - located in Stockwell. The other is a statue of Mary Seacole famed nurse during the times of Florence Nightingale; located at St Thomas's Hospital.
We are doing our best to appreciate the work of black nurses in the UK and hope you will help us make this happen.
In 2020 more needs to be done to enable BAME nurses to be fully inclusive
The NHS and Appreciation and Celebration of Windrush and Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives - Audio
Podcast Episode 025 featuring the following guests.
Michelle Johnson - Chief Nurse and Director of Allied Health Professionals, Whittington Health NHS Trust
Antonia Valentim - Managing Director at Africa and the Diaspora United, also manages a Covid19 centre for Portuguese and Spanish migrants in the UK
Dr Jak Beula - Founder and CEO of Nubian Jak Community Trust
Listen here... Nursing the Nation
You are invited to donate to help make this installation happen. Donations make you feel that you have done your good deed for the day or the week. Donations help to strengthen your personal values. All those who donate will be listed on a page of honour on the nubianjak.org website. Thank you so much for reading this and we look forward to connecting with you.
A minimum of £27,000 is required to allow the historic installation of the NHS Windrush Black and Commonwealth Memorial statue to go ahead in North London. More details follow below. Will you donate any amount towards this cause?
(PRESS READ MORE 4 TIMES TO SEE THE ENTIRE PAGE)
The Project
The plan is to install a 70th Anniversary NHS statue on 22nd June, 2021. It will be dedicated to the Windrush and Commonwealth nurses who worked and practised in Great Britain, before and since the foundation of the National Health Service. It is time we recognised their worth and the fact that they are now an indispensable fabric of the NHS.
The statue will provide a focus for, is the role Commonwealth nurses have made since the formation of the National Health Service in 1948. It will provide a spotlight for the important contributions of these nurses. The statue will also be a legacy to former colonial nurses in Britain prior to the formation of the NHS. i.e. from Cuba Cornwallis (the Caribbean nurse who saved Lord Nelson’s life), to nurses and medics who served during both World Wars. It will provide a backdrop to explain how these nurses were recruited and volunteers, as well as the impact these nurses had on the NHS, as well as on modern Britain as a whole.
In 2020, Nurses and midwives form the largest collective professional group within the NHS. According to the National Health Service's own figures, one in every five are from BAME backgrounds, rising to much higher levels (up to 40 per cent) in some regions and parts of the country, such as London.
Ever helpful, and putting others before themselves they would risk danger for the sake of others. Retired Nurses from the Windrush Generation were asked recently to return to the front line Hospitals to help with the Covid Pandemic. Despite being in a vulnerable group they returned to help realising that the country needs them.
The Book - An Educational Tool
A book is being written which will have the stories of black nurses, past and present and their impact on the UK's National Health Service. It will contain real stories which include the following individuals.
Princess Eldoris Campbell who successfully challenged the discrimination she encountered to become Bristol’s first Black Ward Sister.
Daphne Steele who in 1964 made international headlines by becoming Britain’s first Black Matron.
An example of the strides made over the last 70 years is evidence by the Trinidadian born Jacqui Dunkley-Bent, Professor of Midwifery at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust - is the nurse who delivered both children of Prince William and Princess Kate (i.e. Prince George - the future heir to the throne,
and his sister - Princess Charlotte).
Laura Serrant, Professor of Nursing at Sheffield Hallam University, appeared at number eight on the annual Powerlist of the 100 most influential people of African and Caribbean heritage in 2017.
The Design
The design of statue will display the dignity and professionalism of these nurses, who despite some of the difficulties and challenges they had to endure, overcame them with a steely determination to succeed, and often with a smile on their
face.
The actual monument has an overall height of 7 ft and an overall width of 7ft
Weight in the region of 1.8 tonnes
The foundations 7 ft square and 14 inches deep.
The visible Monument is made of granite, natural stone and water polished no flammable material will be used on the memorial whatsoever.
The foundations will be made of concrete and the monument will be held together by a stainless steel frame for which the Granite is sealed upon.
Proposed Location
It is proposed that the statue be installed at the Whittington Hospital, Archway, North London.
The Whittington Hospital has a history of employing African and Caribbean nursing staff since the foundation of the NHS in 5th July 1948. Over the last 70 years a number of important contributions have been made by black and minority nurses working at the hospital, and this was recognized by special NHS Windrush Awards ceremony in 2018. Among the winners was veteran nurse Comfort Offorjindu, who was the recipient of the NHS Lifetime Achievement Award for her service to Whittington Hospital.
Unveiling Event
A date has been agreed for the unveiling to take place in late October. It will be published after consultation between Nuban Jak Community Trust and the Whittinghton Hospital Trust Board.
Cost of the Monument
The estimated cost for the NHS Windrush & Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives
Memorial is £64,500.00 (excluding R&D). We are look to raise a total of £27,000 towards this.
Organization Behind the Statue
This project is the brainchild of Nubian Jak Community Trust Ltd (NJCT) - a registered charity in England and Wales (registered
no. 1169656) with a plaque scheme and sculpture scheme approved by English Heritage, and endorsed by the Runnymede Trust as a ‘Real Histories’ provider.
The NJCT has delivered a several high profiled events in partnership with Westminster, including installing what is
considered to Britain’s highest profiled commemorative plaque, which was place on Her
Majesty’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office in Whitehall.
In June 2017, the Trust organized the installation of Britain’s first national memorial to commemorate soldiers from Africa and the Caribbean who served alongside Great Britain and its Allies during both World Wars. The monument, was publically endorsed by Her Majesty the Queen, and unveiled by Sir Michael Fallon on 22nd June 2017.
The unveiling of the African and Caribbean War Memorial in Brixton, London,
received national media coverage, including to date over 8 million views on YouTube. The event was attended by dignatories including politians and celebrities and over 3000 community well wishers.
Black Women go Unappreciated
Black Women have not always been noticed for their sterling work in the life and development of the United Kingdom. There are only two other statues featuring black women in the UK.
There are only two statudes dedicated to black females in London's public space. One is of Cecile Nobrega - educator and writer - located in Stockwell. The other is a statue of Mary Seacole famed nurse during the times of Florence Nightingale; located at St Thomas's Hospital.
We are doing our best to appreciate the work of black nurses in the UK and hope you will help us make this happen.
In 2020 more needs to be done to enable BAME nurses to be fully inclusive
The NHS and Appreciation and Celebration of Windrush and Commonwealth Nurses and Midwives - Audio
Podcast Episode 025 featuring the following guests.
Michelle Johnson - Chief Nurse and Director of Allied Health Professionals, Whittington Health NHS Trust
Antonia Valentim - Managing Director at Africa and the Diaspora United, also manages a Covid19 centre for Portuguese and Spanish migrants in the UK
Dr Jak Beula - Founder and CEO of Nubian Jak Community Trust
Listen here... Nursing the Nation
You are invited to donate to help make this installation happen. Donations make you feel that you have done your good deed for the day or the week. Donations help to strengthen your personal values. All those who donate will be listed on a page of honour on the nubianjak.org website. Thank you so much for reading this and we look forward to connecting with you.
Organizer
Nubian Jak Community Trust
Organizer
England
