Hold on Edna! (Paperback)

THE TRUE STORY OF THE FIRST NHS BABY Hold On, Edna! is a nostalgic tale of community spirit, hardship and family ties, culminating in the greatest change to ordinary working families in modern history. The birth of the National Health Service – the UK’s greatest asset – coincided with the birth of one little girl in South Wales, Aneira ‘Nye’ Thomas, the first baby to be delivered by the NHS. Born one minute past midnight, the midwives told Nye’s mother to ‘Hold on, Edna!’ – aware Nye’s mother would have to pay for the birth if it happened before the clock hit the hour mark. Nye’s story follows generations of her family who battled to survive before the NHS was launched, through to those who went on to dedicate their lives to working for the NHS – and also, ultimately, to be saved by it. An extraordinary, heart-breaking, and yet uplifting testament to a time not so long ago when the value of your life came down to how much you had in your pocket. A timely tribute to the NHS and ordinary British working-class families. Perfect for fans of Call the Midwife and the Lovely Lane series (Sunday Times bestseller). Aneira has given numerous interviews, several coinciding with the 70th birthday of the NHS in 2018, with the BBC, Lorraine Kelly, and the Guardian.