When my father decided to take a promotion in his work and move the family out of London to East Anglia he told the 5 year old me that I would be living by the sea, which I thought would be brilliant.

However, as we were not as close to the sea as I was led to believe more like 30 miles away, and the nearest beach was very stony, not quite the idyllic setting that I had imagined when moving from London.  I grew up to love the countryside while still enjoying easy access to London to see family and friends.

When I began to choose somewhere to start my nurse training I still pursued my dream of living within easy access of a lovely sandy beach that’s why I chose King’s Lynn.  I still have easy access to the cities Cambridge and London, beautiful countryside and sandy beaches giving me a choice of ways to relax after a busy day at the hospital.

I started my nurse training in 1984 and have always been supported by the Trust with regards to professional and personal development.  During my 30 years at the Trust, I have been given the opportunity to travel to recruit staff as well as gain experience in order to develop and progress the services to patients and staff.  I have been encouraged to develop my knowledge and skills and attend Study Days and appropriate courses such as my Certificate in Education and modules that have enabled me to complete my degree from the Open University.

During my career, I have worked in a variety of clinical areas contributing to my progression through from Student Nurse to a Senior Sister.  My current post of Practice Development Nurse enables me to use my wealth of experience about the Trust and the locality to develop and support staff as well as being a valuable resource for local Schools and Colleges wishing to learn more about careers in health and social care.

Last year, someone was kind enough to nominate me for the Trust’s Shining Stars (Reward and Recognition Scheme) Pride Award which I went on to win.  I also received an award for my long service to the Trust and this has made me feel very proud and valued by those around me.

When I started work at the Trust I never thought I would remain in King’s Lynn but the friendly supportive atmosphere at the Trust and the locality has kept me here.  I am able to enjoy a varied social life and some of the activities such as the Staff Yoga Classes and organised trips help me to maintain my work life balance and enjoy some relaxation time with my colleagues.

In my experience here at the Trust, people are always interested in you, this makes me feel welcome and part of a really good team working together to provide a high standard of care to patients in this area.