Mural celebrating African women in healthcare unveiled in Bath
It's in the atrium at the Royal United Hospital
A mural has been unveiled in Bath celebrating African women in healthcare.
The artwork at the Royal United Hospital (RUH) was painted on site during Black History Month in October by Michele Curtis and can now be seen in the hospital's atrium.
It is the product of three years of research by the Young Historians Project – a non-profit organisation formed by young people of African and Caribbean descent.
It features four African women with local connections to healthcare, including current RUH staff member Olugbemisola Kolade.
“We’re so grateful for this inspiring and thoughtful gift," RUH chief executive Cara Charles-Barks said.
“I’m so pleased we’ll have the beautiful mural here as a daily reminder of how important our history is and the African women who have contributed to this.
“Our diversity makes us stronger, and it’s vital we continue working on initiatives to welcome staff from all backgrounds and support people to further progress in their careers with us.”
The work by the Young Historian’s Project was funded by the Heritage Fund, and aimed to expand understanding of the history of African women in the NHS and in healthcare more generally.
The research has resulted in a docu-series, an online research hub, an e-book, a podcast – and the RUH’s commemorative mural.
The Young Historians said: “We at the Young Historians Project are proud to unveil the first mural for our project, A Hidden History: African women in the British health service, at Royal United Hospital Bath.
"We've been extremely lucky to have commissioned Michele for the mural, who's perfectly interpreted our ideas and research, and transformed them into a beautiful art piece.
"We hope this work inspires more people to engage with and research the history of African women in Britain's healthcare sector, to ensure it is no longer a 'hidden' history.”
RUH Transformation Support Officer Olugbemisola Kolade is featured in the mural with other important women from healthcare history:
- Princess Tsehai Selassie who lived at Bath’s Fairfield House when her family was in exile from Ethiopia. She used her time in England to train as a children’s nurse
- Bijou Bidwell from Sierra Leone who went on to be a prominent nurse and social justice campaigner after studying nursing at the Bristol Royal Infirmary (BRI)
- Hannah Jawara, from Gambia, who also studied nursing at the BRI before later cofounding a Gambian organisation promoting education for girls
Mural artist Michele Curtis said: “It's been an absolute honour to work with the Young Historians Project to create this mural and help their vision materialise. I champion this project and I'm very excited to be a part of its evolution.”