Mansfield family of NHS heroes feature in national BBC documentary with Bill Bailey

Marking the 75th anniversary of the NHS, a brand new series of Extraordinary Portraits sees comedian, musician, and art lover Bill Bailey pair a selection of extraordinary NHS workers with some of the UK's most celebrated portrait artists.

In episode five we were introduced to the Edwards family, three of whom work at Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust’s King’s Mill Hospital.

Corporate Matron Gerrie Edwards, who works at the hospital, was originally approached to appear on the show by NHS England after an article she’d written for the Nursing Standard publication mentioned that her entire family work for the NHS.

Gerrie and her family were selected to appear in the show after a rigorous interview process and started filming in January of this year.

To do the family justice Bill Bailey matched them with artist Adebanji Alade, the London-born, Nigerian-raised President of the Royal Institute of Oil Painters.

Adebanji’s process involved visiting the different family members at their places of work, with parts of the show filmed at King’s Mill Hospital.

He also attended a family meal at eldest daughter Rhishana’s house to capture a normal evening with the family.

The family had complete faith in the artist and what he does after first meeting with him and were all blown away when they saw the final portrait.

Gerrie, 55, started her career at King’s Mill as a staff nurse in 1989 and has worked as a matron for the past 36 years.

She was recently honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Trust’s annual Excellence Awards, recognised for her involvement in several important projects.

Phil Bolton, Chief Nurse at Sherwood Forest Hospitals Trust, said: “We are so proud of Gerrie and all she has achieved in her time at the Trust.

"She has made so many positive changes and impacted people’s lives for the better, so I think it is fitting that she is honoured on this programme.

"We are very lucky to have Gerrie and two of her daughters working for the Trust who I’m sure will go on to have successful achievements in their own careers.”

Gerrie bought her whole family to the service and Rhishana and Samara Edwards, two of her three daughters, also work at King’s Mill Hospital.

The show also mentions Gerrie’s mum, Bea Haye, 81, a retired nurse who came to the UK as part of the Windrush generation. Bea was away at the time of filming but still features in the final portrait after the artist painted her from a photograph.

Gerrie said: "I honestly don’t think we are any more special than anyone else who works in the NHS, and we are all incredibly humbled to be in this programme. It has been a fantastic experience, one that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.”

You can watch the Edwards family episode of Extraordinary Portraits on the BBC iPlayer.