The Through My Lens project, a collaboration between the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust and the charity Bridging Arts, will be exhibited in the Heart of Cornwall from March 2025 as part of the museum’s relaunch.
In 2023, a group of international nurses from the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust took part in a series of photography workshops around Cornwall run by the charity Bridging Arts.
Chloe Diel Mickelson – by Mike Newman
Susan Roberts, Director of Bridging Arts, explains: “The work of the charity and the ‘through my lens’ project is to break down barriers and increase understanding of the vital role played by people born overseas in the Cornish economy, and in the health service especially.”
She continued: “Working under the guidance of Penzance-based photographer Mike Newman, the workshops provided a unique and much-needed opportunity for new colleagues at the hospital to meet and interact with local people and learn some new photography skills at the same time.”
Michael Apas – by Mike Newman
In 2023 and 2024, the Communication Team at the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust spoke to several of the nurses involved about their experience with the project as well as their experiences living and working as part of a new community. This would form the basis of the ‘through my lens’ series of video interviews.
Photographs taken by some of the nurses as part of the Bridging Arts sessions will now be exhibited in the Heart of Cornwall Gallery for a 6-month period, beginning in March 2025. Video interviews with the nurses produced by the RCHT communications team will also be exhibited, along with short written statements from those interviewed.
Jeslyn DSouza – by Mike Newman
Alison Thorne-Henderson, Dual Chief People Officer for the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “At RCHT, we welcome and value the support of our international colleagues and the incredible work they do. The skills they bring, and their contribution to care and the community more widely, cannot be understated, and it’s a tremendous privilege to be able to share their stories and experiences as part of this project.”
Lauren Campbell, Engagement Manager, said: “Here at Cornwall Museum and Art Gallery we’re really excited to host the stories, photographs and objects of the international nurses who work in Cornwall. These professionals support local communities on so many levels, which is not a story that’s told or celebrated often enough. We’re excited for this exhibition to form part of the new Heart of Cornwall gallery from March 2025 onwards.”