Homerton Hospital midwife is first NHS worker to become Vogue cover model
Rachel Millar on 'the new frontline Vogue cover. Picture: Vogue/Jamie Hawkesworth - Credit: Archant
A Homerton Hospital midwife has become the first NHS worker to feature on the cover of Vogue magazine.
Rachel 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.
READ MORE: The creative food delivery service that has Homerton Hospital staff queuing for moreREAD MORE: Kebab chain serves up free meals to Homerton Hospital staffWriting in Vogue, the magazine’s editor Edward Enninful said: “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.”
Rachel, born and brought up in Northern Ireland, decided she was going to be a midwife when she was 15 and came to London three years ago.
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The 24-year-old community midwife said: “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.”
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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.
Rachel added: “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: “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.”
