Tributes paid to Blackpool’s first known black nurse as new area of hospital named in her honour

Alison Morris was just 19 when she made the journey from Barbados to the UK in the 1960s.

She was one of tens of thousands of people who became known as the Windrush Generation.

Alison, who sadly passed away in March 2022 at her home in Blackpool, began a long career as a nurse in the UK.

Now a colleague ‘Well Space’ at the hospital has been named after Alison.

This is an area, funded by charity donations and made possible with the support of teams from across the hospital, dedicated to staff wellbeing.

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Paying tribute to Alison, Chief Executive Maggie Oldham said: “Alison worked hard across her long and distinguished career.

“As a nurse myself I can tell you how much Matrons have shaped us over the years.”

One of three such areas at the hospital, the space includes a 24/7 vending suite, comfy seating, books to borrow and food and drink preparation facilities.

Alison’s family was joined by Ms Oldham who opened a ceremony with some personal words about the thousands of people from the Caribbean islands who left family behind and answered the UK call for support in 1948 to help rebuild the post-war economy.

Ms Oldham said: “Today at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals we have over 76 known nationalities who, like Alison, leave their families and home countries to start a life with us - thank you.

“I want people to think about Alison while using the space, because her story isn’t just about how far a woman can come in her chosen career, because she was such an inspiration, to dedicate all her working life to people and caring for them.”

Alison’s granddaughter Lindsey Atkinson also spoke at the event and proudly noted that for Alison, nursing in Blackpool wasn’t just a job - she gave her all to her career, her colleagues, and the patients she cared for.

Lindsey and other family members spent time in the hospital’s main entrance where they spoke to people and displayed precious items from Alison’s past including her suitcase, nurses uniform and training certificates.

Lindsey said: “Her career was everything to her, she gave over half her life to the NHS and for her to be recognised and remembered in this way means the world to us.

“She worked day and night not only working to support her UK family but those who remained in Barbados, she never stopped and is someone who was capable of anything.

"She was highly intelligent, popular, full of confidence and a flirtatious spirit with a mischievous wit, she is our rock and will be the reason we always push ourselves to make the most of life for everything she sacrificed.

“We hope this space that is in the part of the hospital where she would have worked will make colleagues today feel proud of themselves in the same way that she did.”

​​​​​​​For Alison’s family in Barbados who could not join the naming ceremony, a video and photos from the day were sent to them so they could share the special moment.

For those wishing to find out more about Alison Morris and her life, a short film was aired on the BBC which can be viewed here.