Local pride as Homerton midwife graces cover of British Vogue

Homerton Hospital has spoken of its pride after one of its midwives, Rachel Millar, featured on the cover of Vogue magazine.

Millar made headlines earlier in the year when, after her bicycle was stolen during the height of the coronavirus emergency, an online crowdfunder raised £500 to help her get back on the road.

She is now one of three models of ‘the new frontline’ on the fashion magazine’s cover, alongside train driver Narguis Horsford and Waitrose worker Anisa Omar.

Millar, 24, said: “I came to London three years ago and quickly settled into my role as a midwife in a busy maternity unit with a reputation for high quality service to mums and babies.

“I currently work as a community midwife and do a mixture of antenatal clinics in the Stoke Newington area of London and home visits for families after leaving hospital with their newborns.

“I love the fact that every day brings something different in terms of challenges and demands on my skills. Many of the women we care for at Homerton are high risk due to their living circumstances with high levels of obesity, diabetes and heart conditions.

“Not all births end happily and I am passionate about bereavement care
and supporting grieving mums and their families.”

Millar, born and brought up in Northern Ireland, decided she was going to be a midwife when she was 15.

Attending university in Norwich, she moved straight to London to start work at the Homerton as a midwife.

After her bike was stolen earlier this year, a local company donated a brand new electric bike to enable her to get back to work.

Millar added: “If you’ve ever watched Call the Midwife, you’d know the importance of two wheels to an east London midwife, especially when
we’re desperately trying to avoid public transport.

“The community spirited support and kindness has been overwhelming, something that initially drew me to work in Homerton Hospital and the surrounding area.

“So to say that I’m proud of my work family, and wider community’s response to this pandemic, is an understatement.”

Rachel now aims to run the London Marathon in October to raise funds for stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands, for which she has already raised £2,000.

Shirley Peterson, Rachel’s head of midwifery, said: “We are all proud and delighted for Rachel.

“Her enthusiasm for her job knows no bounds. It is wonderful that the first
NHS worker to appear on a Vogue cover is a midwife, and a Homerton midwife at that.

“It is also a reminder that during the pandemic emergency, midwives and other NHS staff have continued in their roles of serving our local communities and caring for their health needs.”

Writing in Vogue, the magazine’s editor Edward Enninful added: “Rachel has been bringing new babies into the world during the pandemic, which is such an extraordinary job.

“She is so welcoming in her manner – photographer Jamie [Hawkesworth] and I spoke about how, if you were giving birth with her next to you, you would feel a sense of comfort.”