Members of staff who have given 25 and 40 years of service to the NHS have been recognised at an event held by Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust.

The lunchtime celebration event, which took place at Hoyle Court in Shipley, saw long-serving staff members and their guests come together along with members of the Trust’s Board of Directors. The members of staff were invited to take the stage to receive an award from the now-retired Trust’s Chair, Mike Smith, and Director of Human Resources and Organisation Development, Sandra Knight, recognising their dedication and service to the NHS.

Nineteen members of staff were honoured at the event, but 31 staff were eligible for the award, with a total of over 805 years of NHS service between them. Among those celebrating 25 years of service were district nurses, administration and hospitality staff, community children’s service staff, and psychological therapists. Pat Hartley-Thirkill, Nurse Case Manager, from the Complex Care team was also recognised for dedicating over 40 years of service to the NHS.

Each long-serving member of staff shared what they wanted to be when they were growing up, with answers ranging from a nurse to a nun. They then listened as positive feedback and funny anecdotes from their managers were read aloud, reflecting on their careers in the NHS. Managers’ comments included: “puts patient and staff safety at the core of everything he does”; “teaching others is her passion” and “uses years of experience and knowledge to help others”.

Sandra Knight, Director of Human Resources and Organisation Development, said: “Marking 25 or 40 years of service within the NHS is an achievement to be celebrated. I would like to acknowledge how important it is for our Trust to have this wealth of experience and knowledge supporting people who use our services users and staff in the delivery of high-quality services. Our staff are our greatest asset and I’d like to thank all our long-serving colleagues for their commitment to the NHS.”