The Florence Nightingale and Dr Edward Jenner museums could both go bust amid the coronavirus pandemic, bosses warned today.
With Britain in the grip of a strict lockdown and social distancing measures to try and stop the spread the virus, the museums have been forced to close – costing them thousands of pounds.
The Florence Nightingale Museum, in London, has lost £60,000, while the charity that runs the Dr Edward Jenner museum, at his former home in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, says it needs almost £35,000 to survive.
Both Florence Nightingale and Dr Jenner were pioneers in the medical world, with their vital work even contributing to the fight against coronavirus today.
Florence’s advice on washing hands has become a fundamental tool in the battle against the virus, while Dr Jenner’s vaccination techniques being used all over the world to try and find a cure to the illness.
The government has also opened several new temporary hospitals in the battle against coronavirus, naming them NHS Nightingales in tribute to Florence.
However, as some of those hospitals lay empty after being built at the cost of millions, the museum dedicated to Florence’s life faces going bust.
The Florence Nightingale Museum, in London, has lost £60,000 because of coronavirus
The Dr Edward Jenner museum, at his former home in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, needs almost £35,000 to survive
The museum generates 98 per cent of its revenue from visitors, meaning it now faces a fight for its survival.
This year is also dedicated to celebrating the iconic nurse’s bicentenary.
The collection, located in St Thomas’ Hospital, central London, contains personal artefacts belonging to Florence, including her famous lamp, her best-selling book ‘Notes on Nursing’, her pet owl Athena and her medicine chest from the Crimean War.
Museum director David Green said: ‘The pandemic and associated lockdown has devastated what we expected to be a bumper year for the Florence Nightingale Museum.
‘For Nightingale’s bicentenary year we had built global partnerships to help us celebrate the birth and achievements of the ‘mother of modern nursing’ and our 2020 bookings diary was full with exhibitions and events.
‘We enjoyed our busiest ever day in February half-term, but soon after the effects of the pandemic kicked-in and numbers started to fall, first with foreign groups cancelling bookings and then the general public being reluctant to venture into central London.’
The museum closed on March 17, and has no idea when it will be able to reopen.
Florence Nightingale’s advice on washing hands has become a fundamental tool in the battle against the virus, while Dr Edward Jenner’s vaccination techniques being used all over the world to try and find a cure to the illness
Due to the layout of the collection, it will be difficult for visitors to social distance on site.
‘Prolonged closure and decimated tourist markets for the forseeable future now threaten the future of the museum.
‘We rely heavily on admissions and retail income to support our small charity, which receives no core funding from government or elsewhere.
‘Around 98 per cent of our income is generated by visitors to the site and every day that we are closed costs us thousands of pounds.
‘We need to repay the investment we had made to meet public expectation for the bicentenary of a true national icon we all owe so much to.
‘Our temporary closure does not mean that our costs disappear as it is vital we maintain the conservation and security of our unique collections and stay actively involved in supporting the world of nursing and home-learners at this time of crisis.’
The government has also opened several new temporary hospitals in the battle against coronavirus, naming them NHS Nightingales in tribute to Florence
The museum has started a fundraiser for the £65,000-running costs, and so far kind Brits have donated more than £7,000.
However to stay open in the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife it needs more support.
The anniversary has previously been lauded by the Duchess of Cambridge, who, at the start of the year, wrote a letter to all of the nation’s midwives heralding the landmark.
The Duchess said: ‘The world turns its attention to the International Year of the Nurse and Midwife, and recognising and celebrating the humbling work that you and your colleagues do day in, day out, to improve the lives of others.
‘You are there for women at their most vulnerable; you witness strength, pain and unimaginable joy on a daily basis.’
She added: ‘The founder of modern nursing, Florence Nightingale – whose 200th anniversary we celebrate next year, once said: ‘I attribute my success to this: I never have or took an excuse’ and it is that mantra that I have seen time and time again in all of my encounters with you.
‘You don’t ask for praise or for recognition but instead unwaveringly continue your amazing work bringing new life into our world.
‘You continue to demonstrate that despite your technical mastery and the advancement of modern medicine, it is the human to human relationships and simple acts of kindness that sometimes mean the most.’
Meanwhile, Dr Edward Jenner’s museum also faces a fight to survive.
Dr Jenner carried out tests which eventually led to the creation of the world’s first vaccination and eradicated smallpox.
The physician died in 1823 but his groundbreaking studies are still being used to this day – even in the fight against coronavirus.
His former home in Berkeley, Gloucestershire, is now dedicated to his work and legacy but may struggle to see out the year if it does not raise funds during the health crisis.
In a post online, Dr Jenner’s House, Museum and Garden said it costs £206 a day to run the attraction – of which 70 per cent usually comes from visitors.
But it cannot rely on that source of income now that the doors are closed due to the epidemic – meaning it needs donations to survive.
The charity estimates that it needs £34,490 to go towards running costs.
It said: ‘We do not know how long we will need to remain closed for, but every passing day without income puts the museum’s future at risk and means we have to spend more time raising vital funds rather than communicating Jenner’s remarkable story.
‘We hope that we may be eligible for some government grants, the details of which are still unclear, and we are also applying for emergency funding in competitive processes where the outcome is not guaranteed.
‘We need to act now to secure our future, so we are asking you to consider supporting us through the next year.
‘We know that times are hard for everyone at the moment, but we want to provide a beacon of hope through these uncertain circumstances.’
Dr Jenner was born in 1749 and devoted his life to making discoveries – none more important than a disease prevention technique he called ‘vaccination’.
His research eventually led to the eradication of smallpox in 1979 and is still used to save millions of lives each year.