Mary started her nursing career on January 1st 1960 aged just 17 at Mercer Hospital in Dublin. Mary was influenced by her late mother who looked after her grandmother and auntie at home until their deaths.
At Mercer Hospital, Mary carried out her nursing training for three years and for one of those years she worked as a staff nurse. After that, Mary then moved over to Withington Hospice in Manchester to study midwifery with the intention to move back to Ireland, but someone got in her way.
Mary met her late husband Job in Manchester in 1970 and they decided to move to Nottingham together. In Nottingham, Mary worked at the General Hospital on night duty for two and a half years before moving to Saxondale Hospital, which was nearer to her home in Bingham. Mary worked at the hospital on night duty until it closed on 10th December 1988 where she then moved on to Mapperley Hospital.
During her stint at Mapperley Hospital, Beauvale Nursing Home was just being completed and Mary decided she would call in to have a look around. On her tour around the home, she met the owners and matron and they offered Mary an interview for a job at the home.
Mary started working at Beauvale when it only had two Residents but over the time, many more Residents moved in to the home. Mary describes Beauvale as a ‘very friendly’ and ‘family orientated’ home where everyone felt part of one big family.
Over the next 32 years, a few different companies owned the home and managers came and went, but Mary stayed.
“I met some amazing and beautiful people over the years and I am still reminded by two people whom I met in the town that I ‘sold Beauvale’ to them when they came to view a room for their loved one,” said Mary.
“I will be very sad to leave Beauvale as it is a second home to me and I really enjoyed working in such a happy and cheerful surrounding. All the staff are amazing, so dedicated, hardworking and very loyal.”
“I hope that I can continue to be involved with the home in some way after my retirement on 31st July as a Registered Nurse.”
“I would like to thank owners, managers and staff for your hard work and loyalty and making Beauvale the beautiful, happy and friendly home it is.”
Beauvale Home Manager, Liz Wood said: “Mary is very dedicated and provides marvellous care to our Residents. She lives near to the home and has walked in to help us out through snow, hail and rain during her years here.”
“She is hanging up her pin at the age of 77 but will still be involved with the home as a Senior or Carer so she is not leaving completely.”
“We have been very fortunate to have her in our home.”
Colleagues at HC-One are currently planning a huge party and celebration for July 31st, when Mary is set to retire, to pay tribute to such an amazing and selfless career.
In the town of Bingham, in the countryside east of Nottingham, Beauvale is a delightful, purpose-built care home with 35 beds, offering residential, nursing and memory care, for those living with dementia.