New Edition Of British Vogue Features A Midwife, A Train Driver And A Store Worker

British Vogue readers might be more familiar seeing supermodels or celebrities gracing its front cover, but July’s issue will look a little different, featuring key workers helping provide essential services during the coronavirus pandemic.

A community midwife, a train driver, and a supermarket worker will instead be the stars of the latest edition. In a statement posted to Instagram Monday, British Vogue editor-in-chief Edward Enninful explained that the magazine decided to profile the women — all key workers — to pay homage to their “bravery and dedication to helping others. This chapter in history has seen a society shift its attention onto some of the people in this country who are not usually afforded the spotlight,” Enninful wrote. He said the frontline workers’ commitment during the pandemic “has stunned all of us.”

Enninful has been at the helm of the magazine since August 2017. The Ghana-born, London-raised former model is the first male and non-white editor in the magazine’s history.

More info: vogue.co.uk | Instagram | Facebook

Rachel Millar, 24, a community midwife in East London

Image credits: Vogue

Rachel has worked as a community midwife at Homerton Hospital, in east London, for three years.

Originally from Northern Ireland, Cookstown, she lives in Leyton with her friend and graduated from the Uni of East Anglia in 2017 with a degree in midwifery.

Rachel was inspired to learn more about birth after seeing the lambing season at her grandparents’ farm.

Speaking of the kindness she has witnessed lately, she said: ‘One of the hardest moments for me during the pandemic was when I had my bike stolen.

‘But, within a few hours, a friend who also works at Homerton Hospital had raised over £500 online to help get me back on the road. Another colleague tweeted the story and within an hour, a local company had donated a brand new electric bike.’

Rachel’s social media shows she has run marathons for Shelter, is close to her grandfather and she also loves traveling, having recently visited Sri Lanka and South Africa.

Anisa Omar, 21, a supermarket assistant in King’s Cross

Anisa has been working at Waitrose in King’s Cross for a year, while she studies her second year of Business Management at university.

She lives in Islington with her parents and three siblings and said: ‘Before the pandemic, people would look at us as service assistants – we’re there to show them where the eggs are or if they want to complain about something.

‘But now they’re a lot more understanding. They understand that we’re here all the time, and they don’t have to leave their houses. People are a lot nicer, they’re warmer.’

The student was hailed on Twitter for her beauty and make-up skills as she couldn’t have a make-up artist due to COVID-19, and a local Waitrose customer said she sees her every week and ‘assumed she was a model’.

Narguis Horsford, a London overground train driver

Narguis has worked for TFL for 10 years and driven London Overground trains for five, covering the route between Willesden Junction and Stratford, and Gospel Oak to Barking.

She lives alone in Bounds Green, north London, and has to get up early as some of her shifts start at 1:30 am.

Despite being on the front line and having to isolate herself from her grandmother, she doesn’t feel nervous about her job.

She’s based at a depot in Willesden Junction, north-west London, and drives two routes: Stratford to Richmond/Clapham Junction and Gospel Oak to Barking.

She said: ‘I don’t feel anxious about going to work, but I still have to distance myself from my family because, obviously, I’m out here and I’m on the front line. They do worry, especially my grandmother. This has certainly shown us that life is short. And we can’t take anything for granted. I can’t see myself doing anything else.’

Get to know Anisa, Narguis, and Rachel in the video below

Photographer Jamie Hawkesworth captured the women for a 20-page portfolio

Here’s what people said about the news:

Throughout the months, we’ve known some people who had conflicts with their higher-ups for not respecting their work schedules. For example, we met this man who wasn’t allowed to leave early even though there was no more work, so he saw to it that he wouldn’t work anymore after his time. We have also known this guy who wasn’t let go even after his work hours.

Today, we’ll end these kinds of stories on a positive note. In a TikTok video by Alec (@handle), he retold his story where he observed his boss leaving at 5 pm on the dot. He then discovered him doing some work in his car. When he asked him why he did his matters in the car and not in his office, the boss responded that he wanted his employees to appreciate their work schedules by making them comfortable at leaving at 5 pm as well.

More info: TikTok