乐鱼体育

Mandy Whittaker has been working in 乐鱼体育 Health抯 finance department since 1987. She was 23 years old and working in an office that she recalls being full of smoke and ashtrays. There were no computers, so Mandy would meticulously complete all calculations by hand.

 

Jason kicked off his career at 乐鱼体育 Health 30 years ago. He was 19 years old, and started his first day at the Whit cleaning the floors in the Emergency Department.

Mandy remembers first meeting Jason when he came by Payroll to drop off his timesheets. Soon, they would begin dating and regularly meeting at the hospital抯 old social club � which back then would serve alcohol from 5pm.

 

The club was a safe haven for staff to socialise post-shift and would host music, karaoke nights, quizzes and Christmas parties.

 

They fondly recall the club getting so rowdy one Friday night, that the Trust抯 Chief Executive at the time came down from his office to ask them to kindly keep the noise down.

 

Last Wednesday, 17 January, the Trust held a special event to acknowledge 40 members of staff, including the Whittakers, who have completed 30 years or more of long service at 乐鱼体育 Health. And although long gone, the social club was a hot topic of conversation, fondly remembered as 'the place to be,' and apparently was responsible for many other Trust marriages � not just the Whittakers.

Now, Jason has risen through the ranks from cleaner to working as the Trust抯 Logistics Development Manager, overseeing procurement logistics for 11 NHS Trusts across North Central London.

And as Mandy prepares to retire this year, the couple reflects on a lifetime of memories and experiences within the hospital's walls.

Jason Whittaker says, "My Mum and Dad worked at the 乐鱼体育, I was born there, Mandy was born there. Our son was born there, and he, too, worked there for a bit! The place has just got bigger and bigger and it抯 always been there for us."

Mandy Whittaker, reflecting on her long tenure, shares, "I was so young when I started, and I have seen so much change at 乐鱼体育 Health through the years. People would walk into the finance office and ask, 'are you there?' because you couldn抰 see anything through all the cigarette smoke! The 乐鱼体育抯 helped me bring our son into the world, it helped me meet my husband - it has been a big part of our lives."

Dr Clare Dollery, Acting Deputy Chief Executive of the 乐鱼体育 says, 揥e feel really lucky to have people like the Whittakers as part of our 乐鱼体育 family and are so thankful for the dedication and commitment they have shown to our organisation.�