This week, four of our colleagues were invited to meet King Charles as he celebrated his 75th birthday.
Norman Killick, who was in now retired after 40 years of service at the trust, was invited to the King’s 75th birthday party at Highgrove House on Monday. He was given this singular opportunity as he also turned 75 this year. Norman attended the party with his wife Margaret Killick, who currently works for the trust as a clinical educator for the undergraduate team in Integrated Education.
They had a delightful day enjoying an afternoon tea at Highgrove along with 58 other people, most of whom were also 75, and had worked in the NHS, as well as teaching and volunteer services. They also met and chatted with the King.
Margaret said, ‘it was a lovely day we felt honoured to be invited to meet the King and will treasure the memory of this event always.’
On Tuesday, our colleagues Felix Asibey and Pauline Abu went to the King’s 75th birthday reception for over 400 internationally educated nurses at Buckingham Palace.
Felix works as a clinical facilitator for internationally educated nurses as part of our postgraduate education team working in Integrated Education. He got the chance to shake hands and chatted with the King, when asked by the king where he is from and where he works. The King congratulated him and his colleagues for the wonderful work they doing to help the NHS.
Felix said: “I felt honoured to be invited to meet the King on such a beautiful day and will always cherish the memory of this occasion”.
Pauline Abu, currently sister in charge of the Irvine Unit at Bexhill hospital and who will be starting as clinical lead on quality and improvement, also had the opportunity to speak to King Charles.
Pauline said: “It was really nice to meet the King, he was so friendly and so down to earth. We talked about my experiences of joining the NHS, as well as my culture and where I am from. He was so knowledgeable about it, I was really impressed. I wished him a happy birthday, and he thanked me for that. The NHS Choir were fabulous and the ambience of the whole event was so beautiful”.
Felix outside Buckingham Palace before the reception
King Charles meets Pauline Abu and other internationally educated nurses at his birthday reception at Buckingham Palace.