Work Leaving Lunch Party!

THANK YOU TO ALL MY LOVELY WORK COLLEAGUES, PAST AND PRESENT!

 

WOW!!! I don’t know where to begin, thank you so much to EVERYONE involved, with the best send off anyone could wish for. A huge amount of work was carried out to make my leaving do incredibly special. I'm extremely touched by your very generous presents, the awesome Shetland Voucher, the stunning cakes, flowers, Good Luck balloon, the beautiful photo book, the Holme picture (made me cry), the amusing 'Pennyism’s' framed! The personalised card with so many beautiful words and individual cards and chocs! Thank you all so much!

So touching to see so many people turn up from other rehab teams and some lovely staff from the ward too. It was an emotional and unexpected surprise to see Andrea (with her famous coffee cake!) and Lesley walk through the door – that set the tears rolling big time! Andrea was a Band 7 OT and Lesley was a Band 3 TA – both have left now and it was very kind of them to take the time to join me today, hugely appreciated. Just WOW!! Maureen from The Stroke Association was there also, thank you for coming! Even Simon and Jason turned up – I was honoured, never seen them at a leaving do before 😘. Steve and a lady from Psychology also joined us. Lily and Deana, who are on maternity leave turned up with their cute little babies in prams, so lovely to see them!

 

There was a massive spread of food for everyone! I immediately spotted Linda's divine little (melt in your mouth) cheese biscuits, who is one of many awesome cooks in our team. Andrea's coffee cake disappeared in record time! I can’t thank you all enough, really! The speeches were iconic! A beautiful, heartfelt, amusing, kind and tear jerking speech from Suzy, my Community Team Lead, thank you so much. Scott, Team Lead, then read out his best ever hilarious poem, which had us rolling with laughter! He really is in the wrong job, he should be on the stage, seriously! Thank you, that must have taken AGES to write! Masterpiece! A "Ten from Pen"! 😉 😘 🌟 I would love to put Scott's poem on here, but its probably far too dodgy to put on a public blog, especially where the fruit crumble is concerned (long story).

 

Thank you so much for the personalised card and for your kind and heartfelt words! 😘

 

😂 😁 😅 😆 😜 😘

 

This is SO beautiful and really pulled at my heart strings, as Suzy said, "never forget where your roots are". I know Suzy organised so much for today and thank you so much for your massive input to make my day special 😘

 

Beautiful flowers, thank you 😘

 

WOW! THANK YOU SO MUCH! 😘

 

 

AMAZING CAKE SELECTION!

The Victoria Sandwich was on another level – I don't know who made that, but it was divine! 😋

 A beautiful Photo Book (front and back cover), which Hilary kindly produced and organised with lots of lovely pictures of my work colleagues, at various parties and social gatherings, thank you Hilary and to all who supplied the pictures! 😘

Presents from colleagues, thank you so much! 😘

Andrea's Coffee Cake – thank you!😋 😘

 

Some lovely cards from people individually, thank you all so much for your lovely words 😘

I took this selfie a couple of days ago for my new Shetland NHS ID badge, not happy with it, too frumpy looking, but gave up in the end – there are only so many 'selfies' you can take!

 

I have worked in the QEH for over 22 years, starting off as a Bank Nursing Auxilliary (whilst working full time at The Lynn News) trying to make ends meet after my divorce and worked with some amazing staff in the hospital, so many lovely people, too many to name and some sadly not with us any more – thinking of Chrissie E. I would like to thank all those that helped me learn the ropes in the early days and showed such kindness and helped me to learn so much over the years. Some names that come to the forefront of my mind are Val, one of the loveliest NA's I have worked with, who looked after my mother when she was in hospital, Henry (who doesn't, know Henry! 😉) who helped me so much and its amongst the funniest of people I have ever met! Pauline, Mary, Margaret and Jackie amongst others on Gayton Ward, Tracey W. (who kindly supported me when father was in A&E, I won't forget you on that day), to Sister Jasmine, who is the calmest most lovely soul, Sister Mandy, Sister Julie C. and the list goes on! I also worked for a year in the print department (after leaving the Lynn News, a month before the entire production team was made redundant).

I then applied for a Therapy Assistant post – there were three TA posts being advertised in the rehab team and over ninety people had applied I was told later on! So after a scary 'round-robin' style interview, I very luckily got the job in the Stroke Team and have been in post just over 14 years (started 22nd December 2008). The team was very small in those days and some of the people I very first worked with, were Andrea, Nicola, Lesley, Hilary, Val, Caroline, Gemma, Anne-Marie and Tiffany and the only speech therapists were Jane and Sarah!

I have worked with some lovely staff on West Raynham Ward – so many lovely people, going back to the old days..... Anitha and Anish, Minnie, Caroline, Steve (who labelled us all "the Physioterrorists") and the list goes on! Debbie (straight and to the point, much like myself, has me roaring with laughter) and Kim, housekeepers, Justin, both Lauren's, Deanna B., Andrea (Mrs Christmas), Rachael, Jade, Tracey (thank you for my father's voice recording – always with me 😘) & Paulo, Paula, Paulina, Kim, Millie, Tracey's x 2, *Amanda (*won't forget you looking after father in Side Room 2 😘), Joanne, Dee, Jayne, Amy, Wendy, Trish, Elizabeth, Renata, Bev (space dust.. remember?! xmas party), Sarah P., Tania, Nicola, Joan, Carrie, Penny B., Daniel, Aneta, Janet, Alex, Beth, Sheila, Rose, Gaby, Amy, Fay, Sally, Jo Joy, Hailey, Esther, Claire, Keith and apologies if I have missed anyone out! To all the lovely SALT team, Annie, Jane, Ella, Emma and to past colleagues, Georgia, Sarah M. and Hayley. I also want to thank Frankie, who so kindly looked after my dear mother when she had an operation to 'mend' her femur (affected by secondary Cancer), which I never wrote on the blog at the time, as mother didn't want anyone to know. On that note, huge thanks to Cilla who bravely and compassionately arrived at our family home to bring flowers and card from my team after both my parents passed away.

I have worked with some wonderful, talented and amazing people in our Stroke Rehab Team – we have all gone so through so much personally and professionally together over the years, so much. An amazing team indeed and a credit to the service, along with the all the ward staff. Thank you to everyone I have worked with in my team, Suzy, Cilla, Hilary (the funniest person EVER), Gemma V., Ellie, Alison, Sara, Emily W., Sarah O., Rhiannon, Paula, Annie-Marie, Scott, John, Amelia, Gemma P., Danny, Sarah B., Emily S., Bev, 'Lovely' Linda, Cara, Amelia, Deana, Lily, Keri, to the fun banter with Simon and Jason, to all the many lovely Band 5's I have worked with on their rotations in the past, to staff who have left and have been very much missed, to all the lovely Stroke Association Team, who support our patients so much and to Deborah, Mandy and all the lovely Rehab admin staff in the offices.

Thank you also to all the amazing patients I have worked with over the years, its been so fulfilling to see your progression through our support, your families support and your own determination to carry on and live your best life, after what has been life changing diagnosis's – carry on and never give up! 😘

For anyone who is behind on the blog, here is the link to why I am leaving! I will miss you all very much indeed, its been a very emotional day. Thank you all so much for everything, your support, your friendship, your kindness, your knowledge, your banter, Christmas Parties and all!

Congratulations to Ellie and James on their birth of their little baby girl yesterday morning! 😘

Its only two hours flight to Shetland (Norwich–Aberdeen–Sumburgh) with "Loganair" OR train/drive to Aberdeen and 14 hour, exciting (seriously) ferry (Northlink) to Lerwick, Shetland if you ever fancy a 'wee' holiday! Or as they say in Shetland a 'perrie' holiday! See you all again hopefully!

Love Penny x x x 😘 🤗 💖 💐