Humans Not Heroes

All five artworks were launched as part of the Unmasked: Real Stories of Nursing in Covid-19 exhibition at the Royal College of Nursing Library in London on Thursday 11th May. The work will be displayed in this exhibition for six months before the exhibition moves to the Royal College of Nursing Library in Edinburgh (November 2023-April 2024).

The exhibition is open from Friday 12th May until Saturday 21st October and will be open to the public when the library is open, which is Monday – Friday, 10am – 7pm and then some Saturdays. For up to date opening hours and directions on how to get the library, please visit the Royal College of Nursing website here.

The audio pieces are now available to listen to through this webpage as part of the online version of the exhibition, please scroll down to the video playlist. To select an audio piece, click on the down arrow to see all 5 videos. Listening instructions are provided below – we recommend reading these before engaging with the pieces. There is also a transcript of each piece available in the ‘Downloads’ block below.

CONTENT WARNING: These pieces contain themes of mortality and illness and is based on real life testimonies from front line NHS workers during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Listening Instructions

These pieces are emotive and designed to be intimate listening experiences. We would recommend somewhere quiet and comfortable.

Dr Liz Sparkes (Health Psychologist) recommends the following three steps to release tension and engage with feelings of wellbeing and compassion, before/during or after your listening experience:

1. As you settle into a comfortable seated position, notice how you are feeling exactly as you are, not trying to change it in any way. Perhaps label it.
2. Locate where you are drawn to physically within the body. Perhaps the sensations are in one area, or possibly across several sites. Just notice.
3. Begin to breathe into the area that draws your attention. Moving out of the mind and into the body. Now direct the breath into the area, bringing a sense of softening. Place a hand on to the heart area to encourage a soothing presence.

If, after listening to these audio recordings, you need to talk to someone about your experiences or someone you care about, there is advice and emotional support available from The Samaritans www.samaritans.org or call 116123 for free advice.

If you are a healthcare leader or manager, and want more advice on how to support your team, go to: www.supporttheworkers.org or contact us if you would like to use this resource with your healthcare team.

“It’s been really nice to be part of a process where you feel like your voice is heard… these are stories worth telling. These are experiences, feelings, emotions that are worth being portrayed through the arts.”

Get involved – tell your story

Alongside an exhibition of the existing artworks, we are inviting RCN members to be involved in the creation of a sixth piece that will be added to the series. Through the process you will:

• Have an opportunity to reflect on your experiences of working through the Covid pandemic with other members
• Work with award-winning artists to ensure the piece reflects the experiences shared
• Have a creative outlet for your experiences through a professional audio artwork

Dates, locations & booking details

The process consists of three workshops – and you’ll need to commit to all three to be involved (dates below):

• Tuesday 20th June, 5 -7pm (online) CLICK HERE TO BOOK
• Tuesday 18th July, 5-7pm (online) CLICK HERE TO BOOK
• September date tbc (hybrid and in person at RCN London HQ)

Workshop 1 (20th June): Taking place online, this will be a creative exploration and sharing of experiences of working through the Covid-19 pandemic through creative writing activities. Material generated will be the inspiration of Rochi’s written piece.

Workshop 2 (18th July): Having read the piece generated from workshop 1 in advance, this is a chance for you to shape the professional audio piece. You will think about who is telling this story (how old are they? What do they look like? How do they sound?), where is it taking place (background noise/music) and the general tone of the piece (happy/sad/sombering/funny/etc).

Workshop 3 (Sept date tbc): A private sharing of the piece, alongside family/friends/colleagues, and a chance to reflect on the process and responses to the final product from those that co-created it and those that are experiencing it for the first time at the sharing. This session will be part of research conducted by Coventry University and will be recorded for this purpose only.*

If you have any questions or require further information, please contact Susan Wareham on [email protected]

* We are delighted to be working in partnership with Coventry University to research the impact of the Humans Not Heroes collection. The purpose of the research is to capture the impact of the audio artworks from the perspective of their audiences including the public, healthcare staff and those who contributed to their creation.

For this reason, the final workshop will be recorded. We will be collecting consent from all participants to say they agree to be part of the research. Please let [email protected] know if you have any questions ahead of signing up.

The research project is being conducted by Dr Sally Pezaro at Coventry University.

Boats On An Ocean

“This is the moment when everyone else will just see sunshine today, but for me, I know this is the beginning of it.”

Writer & Director | Nick Walker
Performer | Bharti Patel
Sound Designer | Charlotte Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Created for Coventry Creates

Click here to read a transcript of the piece.

Thresholds

“Today I drove to the hospital, and parked on a side street far away. Engine off. Earphones in. And walk. I keep my music playing until the last possible moment before I start my shift.”

Writer and Director | Rochi Rampal
Actor | Urielle Klein-Mekongo
Sound Designer | Charlotte Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers
Created for Coventry Creates

Click here to read a transcript of the piece.

Stopped

“The statue and the poet watch as a huge black bird – with a bald bony body and feathered head the size of a car – settles herself on the roof of the hospital. She shuffles about wrapping and rewrapping her tatty wings around the ugly concrete. Like she’s trying to keep it warm, keep it safe.”

Writer and Director | Caroline Horton
Actor | Tessa Parr
Sound Designer | Charlotte Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers

Click here to read a transcript of the piece.

Miles of Corridors

“I’ll tell you something. I’ll tell you a story. It’s only short, in the grand scheme of things. It won’t last long, but it feels like an eternity “

Writer and Director | Rochi Rampal
Actor | Alison Belbin
Sound Designer | Charlotte Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers

Click here to read a transcript of the piece.

I Love The Feeling After A Run

“I love the feeling after a run. It’s like I’ve re-entered my body. Like I’ve moved through something.”

Writer and Director | Caroline Horton
Actor | Hannah Boyde
Sound Designer | Charlotte Bickley
Participant Co-creators | Multidisciplinary healthcare workers

Click here to read a transcript of the piece.