Donations fund a large-scale mural in Derby’s Nightingale Macmillan Unit

  • Written by Anita Kincade
  • Posted: 09 Feb 2026
  • 1 min read

Thanks to the generosity of our donors and supporters, we have been able to commission a beautiful large-scale art project in the Nightingale Macmillan Unit (NMU) at Royal Derby Hospital. The mural helps to provide a comforting and uplifting environment for patients, staff and families to enjoy.

A local artist with a personal connection

The murals were created by local artist, Lynne Hollingsworth, based in Duffield, who has been working with our charity’s Air Arts team for several years. Lynne brings a deeply personal understanding of hospital experiences with her father being cared for in an oncology centre in Cheltenham. She shares her story here:

My father expressed how important it was for me to bring the outside in, as patients like him, often couldn’t step outside. I made a promise to him – to bring the calm and beauty of the natural world to those who need it most.

Lynne Hollingsworth

The calming role of art

When asked about art in hospitals, Lynne reflects:

“Art opens up conversations between staff and patients, enhances wellbeing, and even research suggests that certain colours, like shades of green, can have physical effects on people, promoting calm and relaxation”.

Her work across UHDB hospital sites, including Ward 303 at Royal Derby Hospital, demonstrates the impact of thoughtful, nature-inspired design. For the NMU project, Lynne drew inspiration from the existing soft lilac colour scheme.

Some of the murals in the unit

Lynne talks about the project and what inspires her in the following video:

Making it possible through donations

Projects like this are only possible thanks to the generosity of donors and fundraising efforts. Lynne highlights the importance of this support:

Derby & Burton Hospitals Charity supporting these projects enables artists like me to create murals that leave a lasting impact on both staff and patients. It’s down to all those amazing people doing all those amazing charity events, raising that money and the charity, just bringing it all together and just making amazing things happen.

Lynne Hollingsworth

The lasting impact

The NMU Creative team shared, “The murals are a constant talking point within the unit and have a positive impact every day. Access to nature is often taken for granted, so to be able to bring the outdoors inside to our patients truly makes a difference. The artwork offers a change of scenery that supports mood and wellbeing”.

Families and patients being cared for in the NMU are going through an extremely difficult time. Lynne’s nature-inspired artwork not only looks beautiful across the unit, it has also helped create a calmer, more comforting environment for patients, their families and staff. I’d like to thank our supporters for helping us deliver impactful projects that can be enjoyed for years to come

Jill Matthews, derby & Burton Hospital Chief Officer