At a health center in Brixton, it appeared to be an ordinary day, but a change in the law has transformed their lives and the lives of their patients for the better.
It is the first time in decades – they hope – that nobody going in or out of the abortion clinic will face confrontation, harassment, or intimidation.
This is because new regulations – implemented 18 months ago but now in effect – establish a 150-meter buffer zone outside any healthcare facility offering abortions.
This means that staff and patients will no longer be subjected to protests that include religious prayers, emotional and often misleading appeals to change their minds, and sometimes graphic images of aborted fetuses.
Anyone found breaching the new law will face an unlimited fine.
For the health center’s operations manager, Michaela, it is a huge relief and the culmination of years of advocacy.
She recalls the moment she arrived early to talk to the team: “I sent out a message… just to say, you know, the day has arrived and how proud I am.
“We had our morning meeting, which we do every day anyway, but it was a special moment. So we gave ourselves a round of applause this morning.
“It feels like a significant achievement because we have worked so hard for it. And I think the reason why we had to work so hard for it still baffles me. But I am pleased to finally say that we have achieved it.”