Sir Trevor McDonald opens Mary Seacole exhibition

Sir Trevor McDonald cuts the ribbon whilst Nina Baden-Semper and Guy's and St Thomas' chairman Patricia Moberly look on

The Wonderful Mrs Seacole is a special temporary exhibition celebrating the life, work and legacy of Mary Seacole Born of African heritage in Jamaica 200 years ago this year, Seacole was in Kingston at the outbreak of the Crimean War. She responded to the same call in the press as Florence Nightingale. Despite rejection by the authorities in London she travelled independently to the Crimea and set up the British Hotel near Balaclava.

Nina Baden-Semper (Love Thy Neighbour, Crossroads) in character as Mary Seacole

The exhibition examines Mary Seacole's nursing and herbal practice, her heroism in the Crimea 150 years ago and her legacy of leadership and inspiration to nurses and all who aspire to achieve great things in difficult circumstances.

The exhibition is a key element of the Mary Seacole Bicentenary London 2005 and is produced in partnership with Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, the Black Cultural Archives, the Royal College of Nursing and London South Bank University, of which Sir Trevor McDonald is chancellor.

• The Wonderful Mrs Seacole is at the Florence Nightingale Museum, Lambeth Palace Road, until April 2006.