An Amazing Day! Florence Nightingale Foundation Commemoration Service for Nurses' Day at Westminster Abbey

Yesterday, I had the great honour of attending the Florence Nightingale Foundation’s magnificent Commemoration Service at Westminster Abbey in London to celebrate International Nurses’ Day. The service has been held annually at Westminster Abbey since 1965! I went with Professor Jacqui Filkins (Patron of English for Nurses and ENDA Honorary President).

What an amazing day! It’s honestly hard to find the words to describe it, and I’m still beaming!

Jacqui and I sat right by the altar and had a perfect view of everything. The service was absolutely beautiful with speeches by the health secretary, the archbishop, the princess, and many nurses.

In total there were around 2400 nurses at the service, including lots of army and navy nurses, nurses from the Commonwealth and recipients of MBEs and OBEs. It was just wonderful to see our profession given the highest level of respect and treated with such dignity. Jacqui and I were very touched by it all, especially when we all remembered the nurses and midwives who tragically died during C19 and in global conflicts.

This event, which puts nurses front and centre, and honours them, encapsulates everything we stand for.

WOW!

Best wishes