Museum talk digs into ERI's link to miners

THE Scottish Mining Museum is launching its free lecture series for 2010 with a talk on the historical links between miners and the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.

Laura Brouard, assistant archivist with Lothian Health Services Archive, will lead the first lecture at the museum at 2pm on 5 February to discuss the work of the organisation and highlight how miners contributed to the ERI before the National Health Service was launched in 1948.

Ms Brouard said: "There is a fascinating link between mining and healthcare in Scotland.

"Miners were only too aware that they, or close colleagues, may need hospital treatment and contributions by workers were encouraged by the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, the largest voluntary hospital in Britain."