'A fortune teller told my mum I'd be a nurse'

Mary Donaldson began her nursing career in 1983

One of the longest-serving nurses at a hospital trust has retired after more than four decades.

Mary Donaldson began work as a student nurse aged 18 in 1983.

She has retired from her role at Peterborough-based North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust, 41 years to the day after she started.

Ms Donaldson said she had always wanted to be a nurse, fulfilling a prophesy made by a fortune teller on Hunstanton beach, Norfolk, when she was four years old.

A career highlight was meeting Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the opening of the former Edith Cavell Hospital

She said she still wore a family heirloom buckle on her belt, worn by a great aunt over a century ago and handed to her as the next family member to qualify as a nurse.

Ms Donaldson, 59, from Peterborough, started her career as UB40 topped the charts with Red Red Wine and Neil Kinnock was on the verge of being elected as leader of the Labour Party.

She completed her training in Peterborough and became a nurse in the ear, nose and throat department before moving into general surgery.

After six years as a nurse specialist in nutrition and IV therapy, she later became lead nurse, assistant general manager and joined the site management team.

"I always wanted to be a nurse. In fact, a fortune teller on Hunstanton beach told my mum when I was four years old that I would be a nurse," Ms Donaldson said.

"I have lots of great memories from working with many different teams and have loved taking on new and challenging roles."

Ms Donaldson wore a family heirloom buckle on her belt, left to her by a great aunt as the next member of the family to qualify as a nurse

Ms Donaldson recently graduated from Henley Business School with a Master of Business (MBA) and will return to the trust two days a week to support colleagues

While working at the trust, she met Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip at the opening of the former Edith Cavell Hospital in 1998.

She saw the building of the new Peterborough City Hospital in 2010 and worked through Covid-19, playing a key role in discharge planning.

"Despite the challenges of the pandemic, I really wanted to be part of it," she added.

"It was a scary time, but also one which saw incredible camaraderie and colleagues using their skills in so many different ways."

Chief nurse at the trust, Jo Bennis, first worked with Ms Donaldson in 1988.

"She was a fantastic mentor and supported for me as a second-year student and taught me so much," she said.

"Mary is a loyal, dedicated nurse who always has the patients at the heart of everything she does.

"I want to personally thank her for her commitment and passion and the ‘spice’ she brings to our teams."

Ms Donaldson said friendships forged from her training days and being part of social groups within the trust, including the Pillpushers Theatre Group, were lifelong