Andrea's Pearson's Last Day At Work!

Tim (Lead OT for Rehab Services) presenting flowers, card, cake and present to Andrea

 

Andrea Pearson is a Band 7 Occupational Therapist and a very much respected colleague in our Stroke Team. Andrea was one of the interviewers of six, who kindly gave me my job twelve years ago and has taught me so much. Andrea has been with us and working in the hospital for exactly 32 years!!! Today she left and is starting a new chapter in her life. We have been through a rollercoaster together! So many changes have happened in our service, even in the short time I have been in post! When I started, I was one of only three Therapy Assistants (we have many more now) and we didn't have the Stroke Community Team either. Patients were kept longer for rehab and we had time to do more recreational activities like cooking activities etc. Things have changed so much in a short space of time, so they must have changed massively for Andrea over 32 years!!! Her knowledge, professionalism  and presence will be greatly missed by us all – end of an era.

Stroke Rehab Team and some Nursing Staff

 

After being in the Stroke team for so many years, we obviously needed to give her a good send off. We organised a lunch party for her today and even though I'm on holiday, I obviously wanted to be there and arrived at 10.45am to help prepare and organise the lunch time event etc. I spent many hours last night, printing out photographs that another colleague had sourced and emailed me and also found some more myself and also took some screen shots from videos I had taken at one of Andrea's birthday parties about five years ago – after printing them all out, I made little tabs (with double-sided sellotape) to put up on our mobile presentation board at work. Yesterday, I made a big bowl of Tiramisu (which was a recipe Andrea gave me a while back) and a Victoria Sandwich (Mary Berry recipe). Well, I actually made two cakes as for the first time ever, the sponges sunk in the middle (put too much baking powder in), so I have the duff cake for birding over the next few days –  oh dear/oh good!

Photos of events with Andrea

 

Suzy organised a fabulous big iced cake, which was piped with "Sorry You Are Leaving Andrea" and various green decorations (OT's uniform is green!). A beautiful bouquet of flowers was presented, a brilliantly designed card (lots of pics of Andrea and team montage) that Cilla had organised and a very heavy stone bird bath/sundial, which is being delivered straight to Andrea's home. Colleagues had all made a big effort in decorating the office with bunting and Bake Off things (Andrea loves Bake Off obviously!) and balloons and other personal presents were given too. I bought Andrea "Nadiya Bakes" and a box of shortbread, plus a card. Andrea loves shortbread and loves baking.

Someone senior from the hospital (can't remember who) came to the presentation at 12.30pm and said some very kind words and Tim (Senior OT for rehab) did a lovely speech and recalled things past and present, as did Andrea afterwards and understandably became a bit emotional – it helped enormously having to wear masks, as they hid any emotions people were feeling! Photos were taken – all wearing masks, so didn't look brilliant, but we have to follow the rules! Then we enjoyed a fantastic lunch, all brought in by colleagues, with some delicious baked goods, including Scott's extremely yummy cheesecake and Linda's little cheese biscuits, Emily's home-made cheese scones, Keri's chocolate brownies, Bev's quiches and my Tiramisu + Victoria Sandwich etc etc. We have far too many good cooks in our team! When I checked the pager, there were no mega's to go and see, so stayed and helped to rearrange furniture etc and clear as much up as possible, whilst my colleagues continued working.

My Mary Berry Victoria Sandwich

 

Scott's Cheesecake along with other delights!

 

 

I had packed up my car this morning with all birding gear, coats etc, ready to fly to see a mega from work, but surprisingly, nothing had been discovered that required me to drive off in a rush – the wind was east today, but sadly no rain. So, being as I felt completely shattered, I went straight home at about 3.40pm and fell asleep on the sofa! Out birding seriously tomorrow, when the wind remains east with 87% chance of rain, so hopefully some top draw birds will be found!