Materials Management Assistant, Michelle Mozley, retires this coming Thursday after 19 years at CHFT. She plans to celebrate with a holiday to Spain, where she’ll also be enjoying her birthday and wedding anniversary.

We won’t be seeing the last of Michelle, who said she’s “not ready to stop making a difference.” She’s due to return as a volunteer on Ward 12, helping our colleagues and being a friendly face for patients to chat to.  During her years at CHFT she said she’s been lucky enough to make plenty of friendships, but none as special as the one she made on her very first day as a Materials Management Assistant.

The first ward she was asked to go to was ICU, and she was feeling nervous. Michelle said: “I was terrified that first day on ICU, I didn’t know a plaster from a cannula! But ICU Healthcare Assistant, Annette Smith, was there, and she gave me encouragement and reassured me that it wasn’t quite as terrifying as it seemed. We’ve been friends ever since.

“Annette is a fantastic friend, she’s the type of person who will know you’re upset and won’t say anything, just give you a hug and you’ll feel better.”

Annette said: “We’ve had so many good times together, like celebrating her 50th birthday then her 60th and now her retirement. She has also been there for me when I lost my sister. Two months before she died, Michelle arranged for my sister to be driven in a vintage car, with complimentary champagne, to her wedding.

“I would describe her as one in a million, there is no one like her. She is the best listener and gives the best advice. I wouldn’t change her for the world, she is perfect.”

Michelle and Annette were photographed as part of the walkarounds sharing our new internal One Culture of Care branding. 

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