Florence Nightingale Comes Home for 2020:an historico-literary analysis of her family life

Although Florence Nightingale (1820-1910) is a familiar historical figure, most people do not know that her early years, and plentiful summers throughout her life, were spent in Derbyshire, where her family had built a home and held prominent business connections. It was also where Nightingale conducted a lot of her copious writing. Somewhat surprisingly, even scholarly works on Nightingale have spent comparatively little time analysing these regional influences on her professional and literary life and the way her East Midland's based friends, family and experiences contributed to the development of her attitudes and work. The filling of this knowledge gap sits at the heart of the project's aims. The overarching aim of which is to 'bring Florence Nightingale home' to the East Midlands and to find imaginative and engaging ways to use and celebrate this underappreciated story of regional success.

The primary research focus of the project is to advance academic perspectives on Nightingale's regional connections in order to develop a more complete biographical understanding of this iconic figure. It is anticipated that this research thread will also yield important insights into the daily life of the important industrial valley in which the Nightingale family played such a prominent part. To fulfil the research aims of the project, dispersed sources, available both locally and throughout the country will be systematically mined for the first time for information about Nightingale's regional connections. This project will deliver pioneering research targeted at leading academic journals and resulting in an interdisciplinary edited collection. It will additionally advance early career capacity in Nightingale studies by employing two postdoctoral researchers and sponsoring two PhD students.

Further to these academic objectives, the project will engage with local community members (particularly targeting nurses) to deepen regional identification with this important female leader. The project is perfectly timed to fit into the national cycle of events planned for 2020 celebrating the bicentenary of Nightingale's birth. Many obvious Nightingale stakeholders, for example the Nightingale Foundation, London and the Nightingale Museum, London will be actively engaged in these proceedings but, given Nightingale's importance in the East Midlands, it is important for the region to also play a prominent role in these celebrations. The project will add to events in London by highlighting the role Nightingale held regionally through three academic workshops, two public exhibitions (with accompanying talks and outreach events) and the provision of three discussion arenas specifically engaging with the nursing community. As Nottingham and Derby combine to make the largest regional hub for nurse training it seems a pertinent opportunity to explore new ways for Nightingale to stimulate a shared community identity; relating some of her obstacles and dilemmas to modern day issues faced by the nursing profession.

The project has a particular interest in making Nightingale history visible and widely accessible via the web. A dedicated website (www.floem.org) will provide an outline history of Nightingale's local influences, and will showcase key documents and images pertinent to her time in the region. The site will also provide a cross referencing facility with other Nightingale collections as an aid to Nightingale scholars worldwide. As an user-friendly resource, the website will allow site visitors to follow the project's research in an engaging way. Finally, the website will advertise and promote Nightingale events whether they are conceived as part of, or outside of, this project.

The research is deeply concerned with impact activities and identifies three core beneficiary groups. These groups with be connected to the specialist academic community via the project website which will contain areas for visitors to receive information about the research developing from this project and events associated with it.

(i) The local nursing community:
The project reaches out to the nursing community through a series of events planned for nurses training at NHS sites in the East Midlands. These discussion arenas (to take place in 2018, 2019 and 2020) will add quality to the large local nursing community enhancing their regional pride and sense of historical identity. The arenas will be sessions developed around a theme pertinent to modern nursing (e.g. public health, gender representation, the wider remit of nursing). These sessions will bring in nursing professionals and associated experts to talk about their experiences, drawing on lessons provided by Nightingale's circumstances and linking these directly to modern experiences. The project is fortunate enough to have the support of John Rivers, Chair of the Derbyshire Teaching Hospitals Trust, who will be a vital prominent supporter in connecting this project to the nursing community. Crawford will also author two popular discussion pieces in the Nursing Times and Nursing Standard that will draw on insights gleaned through the discussion arena thereby bringing issues uncovered locally to the attention of a wider national audience.

(ii) Members of the interested public:
Six public talks will be organised to accompany the travelling Nightingale exhibition: three to be held in Nottingham and three in Derby. These talks will be pitched at an appropriate level to engage non-specialists as well as those with a more detailed knowledge of this aspect of regional history. Both exhibitions will open with a private view and drinks reception to which prominent local dignitaries (e.g. councillors, members of NHS trusts, tourist providers, local media representatives) will be invited as well as delegates from the Florence Nightingale Derbyshire Association and the Florence Nightingale Museum, London and the Nightingale Foundation, London. Local student nurses will also be invited. An outreach event will accompany the exhibition in each of its locations, which will be in the form of a special art class for children or an exhibition tour.

Additionally, the British Library will host a study day in 2020 on the theme of 'Florence Nightingale Comes Home for 2020'. This study day will be open to non-specialists from any walk of life wanting to learn more about the findings of this project and will advance its exposure beyond regional borders.

By promoting the historical importance of Nightingale locally through these public events it is hoped that the residents of the East Midlands and beyond will gain greater understanding and contextualisation of the social, cultural and economic importance of the region.

(iii) Institutions with an interest in Nightingale history:
The activities proposed will spread understandings, and exposure, of Nightingale far beyond the East Midlands. As such, libraries with Nightingale holdings, foundations supporting Nightingale history, and museums in her memory will all benefit directly and indirectly from the additional insights and resources that this project will actively collaboratively share with them.

Additionally there will be, indirect, knock-on effects for local tourist and heritage providers, particularly Derwent Valley Council, Derby City Council, and Nottingham County Council. These initiatives will promote worldwide the East Midlands as a vital player in Nightingale history thereby enriching civic pride in the region's wider relevance. Impact will be measured and evaluated in ways that are fun and participatory throughout the project's life (see 'Pathways to Impact').