Service in tribute to lady who lit the way

May 5 2008 by Madeleine Brindley, Western Mail

THE first tribute to the “mother” of nursing for almost 15 years will be held in Swansea.

A Florence Nightingale service will take place in St Mary’s Church this weekend as part of the NHS’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

The service will also mark the merger of Swansea and Bro Morgannwg NHS trusts, which became the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University NHS Trust on April 1.

Nurses taking part in the Florence Nightingale service will form part of a procession to the church altar carrying a lit silver lamp – which was made in 1960 and is modelled on the light which gave Miss Nightingale the famous title of The Lady with the Lamp in the Crimean war.

Liz Rix, interim director of nursing at ABM University NHS Trust, said: “This service gives us the opportunity to incorporate the Florence Nightingale procession which captures the essence of nursing and the care which is at the very heart of our profession.

“We are holding the service on Sunday – the day before Florence Nightingale’s birthday – as a special way of celebrating the 60th anniversary of the NHS and the essential role nurses have played throughout all those years.

“It will also give us the opportunity to look to the future, and the way the NHS, and in particular our new trust, will continually strive to improve the care we offer our patients.”

During the service nurses, at various stages in their careers, will pass the lamp to each other before it is blessed and placed on the altar. It will pass from a nurse about to retire, to colleagues with different levels of experience, and end with a student nurse.

The service at 2.30pm on Sunday is also open to the general public.