Angels in little cars.

One of my clients is an organisation here in Flanders called the Wit-Gele Kruis. The White-Yellow Cross. Back in the UK we’d refer to this a district nursing service.

I’ve done several shoots for the WGK but this last one really did open my eyes to the type of people that work there, the job they do and the way they do it. I spent 3 days doing the rounds with 3 nurses. My task was to record their daily job as it happens, no gloss for the camera. Real lives, real world.

I was blown away. There is no other way to describe it really. I saw a huge cross-section of society during the long hours and frequent stops. Young and old, healthy or seriously ill, these people all needed help in some way or another and these nurses gave that care in bucket-loads. Cynics (and I’m one of the world’s worst) could say, ‘these people are just doing their job’ Yes, they are, but I saw 3 people in different parts of the country giving their all for their job. Not many people could do what they do, I’m sure of it. I was ‘just doing my job too’ but I can unashamedly say, it was a seriously emotional experience. I feel privileged and honoured to have been in the position to record events. Not only of the nurses, but of the long list of patients who welcomed me into their homes.

I can safely say that this was one job I would have done for free.Next time you see one of those little cars with a white & yellow cross on the door, just think. They’re out there to help people, people just like you and me.

Here is a small selection of the images I made and that were included in the end of year report by the WGK and a small booklet they produced as a guide to the nursing.