Preston Royal Infirmary nurses hold reunion for 45th training anniversary

Former nurses who trained at the old Royal Preston Hospital from 1969 - 1972. Marlene Hinchliffe, Brenda Stephenson, Angela Hammond, Joan Winslow, Ann Taylor, Nuala Joyce, Stephanie Murray and Linda Pugh.

The ten ladies, who learnt their skills at the old Preston Royal Infirmary from 1969 to 1972, enjoyed an emotional catch up at Pierre Bistro in Preston.

Nuala Joyce, of Hoghton, qualified in 1972 and after a year at the hospital, she spent a further two years working in the Middle East. She then returned to work in the Chorley and South Ribble area. The 67-year-old has now retired but volunteers at Rosemere Cancer Centre.

Read related stories: Memories of Preston's nursing school and NHS 70: Celebration time for our health service - 70 years as pride of a nationThe mother-of-three, who has two grandsons, said: “When we took our finals in the 1972 Guild year we said we would meet for the next Guilds - 1992 and 2012 but there were a couple of girls we couldn’t find. Then one of the nurses managed to locate Marlene Hinchliffe who had moved to Australia. So we planned the reunion for when she had returned to visit family. Sadly two other girls - Pat Baker and Ann Starkie - have passed away.

“It was very exciting to see the girls again. We had not seen Marlene for 45 years so was lovely to see her. The food and service at Pierre Bistro was amazing.

“I loved my time training. We did it at the old Preston Royal which was a much smaller school than the Royal Preston Hospital. Everybody knew each other and we had to live in the nurses home. It was very disciplined. The ward sisters were quite stern but I loved it.”