Surrey exhibition honours local NHS 'heroes'

A new exhibition celebrating the work of local NHS staff has opened at a museum in Surrey.

'St Peter's Hospital: untold stories' is a free exhibition at Chertsey Museum which explores the evolution of the medical centre since it opened as an emergency war hospital in 1939.

Visitors can expect to be taken on a journey through the voices and personal accounts of staff members, according to Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Co-leaders of Runnymede Borough Council (RBC) said Chertsey had a rich history and they were "delighted that the museum has captured this journey through the voices of local heroes and patient experiences".

The trust said the exhibition was a "moving tribute to the hospital's legacy and the dedication of its staff".

"The exhibition not only honours the past but a sense of community and appreciation for those who continue to provide essential healthcare services," the spokesperson added.

Louise Stead, group chief executive of Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation trusts, said: "We look forward to sharing these stories of St Peter's Hospital with patients and visitors coming on to our site."

The exhibition was created through interviews with a range of past and present hospital staff conducted by Heidi Dawley, the museum's educational and curatorial assistant.

As well as interviews, the exhibition features artistic contributions such as a quilt and a mixed media painting.

Alongside the exhibition, the museum has created boxes with craft activities to be handed out to long-term hospital patients.

Chertsey Museum is run by RBC and was first opened to the public in 1965.

The exhibition runs until April 2025.

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