Announcing the NHS Respect Award
- busywrites
- Apr 2, 2025
- 2 min read
April 1, 2025
Announcing the NHS Respect Award for all the nurses, doctors and medical personnel from the commonwealth that have contributed to the institution over the past eighty years.
An hour later, Yemi sat in the audience as Velma welcomed the guests and the award winners to the stage. “Today we are gathered to highlight and celebrate the historic and ongoing contribution of the African and Caribbean communities, past, present and future to the NHS. To give thanks to the Windrush generation of nurses who came over from the Caribbean to establish a post-war NHS and also for the scientists, mathematicians, writers and leaders whose actions and ideas helped shape the modern world. The diversity of staff working in the NHS is a great asset and something which makes the NHS stronger. “The Black Network for NHS staff, and Guy’s Hospital – in conjunction with Reliance Bank – is keen to support this celebration and welcomes the opportunity to shine a light on the diversity of our workforce.
During the buffet dinner, Yemi got a chance to network and mingle with the guests. It wasn’t every day one had the chance to mingle with the crème of the Black British sports, music, commerce, media and entertainment worlds. Then she was introduced to a lady who had come over to England in the early sixties from Barbados. After decades of dedicated hard work her nursing had been recognised with an MBE in 2007 for her services to the people of Manchester.
Elegant in black and silver lace, which complemented her grey hair, she nodded while Yemi expressed her admiration for her contributions. “Thank you but what your great- great -aunt did was really commendable. risking her life working in London during the Second World War. It wasn’t easy being a nurse even fifty years ago so I can’t imagine what it was like for her then.”
Yemi nodded. “She left a diary and I’m reading about her experiences. It’s just incredible, really.” “Amazing. That would certainly make interesting reading. Maybe I should have written a diary of my own.” Yemi agreed. “ Maybe you should. It would be great to capture all that history. I just want to know how you did it, against all odds?”
The older lady smiled. “ You can do anything if you make up your mind that the result is worth the process.” “Yes. It definitely is.”
Yemi needed to remember that especially with the One Hundred Women Project work sitting there on her laptop demanding her time and attention – now she had access to more archives in Libraries in the UK. “Well, it was nice meeting you.”
“You as well.”
Yemi bent her head in respect as the lady moved off and let her eyes scan the crowd and pulled herself back when she realised that she was looking for a tall chap with hazel-gold eyes. Maybe it was time to mingle with some more guests.
An extraordinary and moving historical novel inspired by a true story of WW2
Avaliable for purchase at https://www.amazon.co.uk/Nurses-Tale-Ola-Awonubi-ebook/dp/B0BP9YP9BH?ref_=ast_author_mpb
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