Nurses past and present celebrated in Formby

TO coincide with International Nurses Day, the team at:- Formby Manor, on:- Liverpool Road, Formby, chose to celebrate nurses past and present.

All nurses who work at the care facility currently received a personalised card from the home, thanking them for their continuous hard work and achievements. Residents at the home, who used to have a career in nursing, also received a personalised card.

Part of the celebrations included a trip down memory lane for the residents who were nurses, including:- Valarie Innes, Anne Blackman, Margaret Cotton and Jean Jones.

Valarie, aged 85, was a general nurse in Kent and Basingstoke. She thoroughly loved her job in nursing and later became a Clinical Nurse Tutor, before retiring from the NHS and working in a private care home.

84 year old Anne started her pre-nursing training in 1946, officially qualifying in 1949. She worked as a general nurse, casualty nurse and in midwifery, as well as spending time in Cyprus as a Sister with the Forces plus training and mentoring nurses in Argentina. Anne later gained a BA Hons Degree in Health Management.

Anne says:- "I enjoyed every type of nursing, so have no favourite, but I loved my career and I look back fondly on those days. At Formby Manor I often chat to the nurses here about the changes in nursing over the years and offer advice or tips where I can. It feels great to still be able to provide some help."

Margaret, who qualified in 1954, was a general nurse in Sheffield. The 88 year old says:- "Nursing was hard work, but I liked it, and got a lot of pleasure from helping people get better. The uniforms were glamorous back then too, and I loved the little hats we wore. Working in a hospital was social, and some of my favourite memories are of dressing up and attending balls with other nurses, students and doctors."

Jean, also aged 88, was an auxiliary nurse, qualifying when she was 21 years old. She worked with babies throughout her career. She says:- "I loved my time nursing. One particular memory that stands out is helping a new mum who was struggling to settle her baby. I took the crying baby into the nursery so the mum could have a break. Years later I was tapped on the shoulder by the mum who remembered me and said that the help I gave was priceless as it allowed her to have the best sleep ever and wake refreshed. That was lovely to hear!"

Head of Care at Formby Manor, Adele Sandison, comments:- "Being able to celebrate International Nurses Day with both staff and residents has been incredibly special. Great stories have been told and memorable moments from the wards remembered. A career in nursing never leaves you. Valarie, Anne, Margaret and Jean are superb examples of this, with each still able to share their knowledge and experience with the team.".

Tourism's importance to social cohesion and wellbeing highlighted in new research from VisitEngland

NEW research published this month by VisitEngland demonstrates the positive cultural and social impacts that tourism has on local communities across the UK.

The report:- 'The Social Value of Tourism' found significantly higher levels of community pride, sense of wellbeing and social cohesion amongst residents living and working in areas frequented by both domestic and international visitors.

People living in tourism areas were 23% more connected to their communities. 58% of residents surveyed in these destinations felt connected to their community compared to 35% elsewhere. Those living and working in tourism areas (called:- 'host communities' in the report), were also more likely to be proud of their local area with sense of pride-in-place scoring 12% higher overall than in:- 'non host communities.'

The research, which considered a range of social and cultural measures, also found that almost 80% of people surveyed felt more positive after travelling in the UK and more than 70% felt healthier or more replenished after their trip.

VisitEngland CEO Patricia Yates said:- "We already know how tourism drives economic growth for communities. With:- 'The Social Value of Tourism' report we can now also evidence how tourism improves wellbeing and social cohesion for both visitors and residents alike, as well as boosting employment opportunities, social mobility and improving local infrastructure. As this report demonstrates, tourism's true value extends much broader than its economic benefits, creating connected communities where people want to live, work and visit and enriching community life."

Looking at jobs and career development, tourism was found to provide employment for people from a wide range of educational backgrounds and to offer strong apprenticeship opportunities for young people, especially in rural and coastal communities. Eighty-five per cent of tourism/leisure apprenticeships were undertaken by those aged 24 and under compared to 52% across all sectors.

Tourism also improved access to:- culture, green spaces and local businesses, with more than half of host community residents living within 5 miles of these amenities compared to longer distances elsewhere. High footfall tourist areas also had examples of expanding bus and rail services benefitting both residents and visitors.

The report, produced by Public 1st for VisitEngland, is supported by 14 case studies from destinations which consider a range of social, cultural and community impacts of tourism locally and Regionally. From growing the visitor economy in the North East to the value of national parks to the cultural impact of Eurovision 2023, the case studies showcase tourism's social value through the lens of local communities.

Tourism is one of England's largest and most valuable industries, generating about £76 billion annually for the economy in domestic visitor spending.

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