Last week's Board was the opportunity to say farewell to trust HQ legend Kathy Bray after nearly 40 years at the Trust and best wishes to . Juliette Cosgrove as she leaves us for pastures new.

Owen hailed Kathy as "one of my two surrogate mums". He said: " After almost 40 years with the Trust we could not let Kathy leave without a celebrating what she has done for the Trust. Kathy has been  since I started here and has been one of my two surrogate mums.*  She is well liked and respected across the Trust and I am really pleased that we are not saying goodbye totally."

Kathy plans to return in part time capacity.  Colleagues presented her with her favourite Danon jewellery and also shared a drink at the Wireworks last Thursday. CHFT Weekly caught up with her for  chat before she left.

What was the standout moment of your career? Meeting Lady Di when she came to open Cedarwood Unit.  She was so beautiful and took time to speak to the kids who were well enough to go down to the main entrance to meet her.

Have you any memories from your first day?  Yes going to the top floor at SLHse and during the introductions to staff was told there was a ghost on the main corridor there!  Scarry – got out of there within 12 months!!!

Has it changed a lot in Trust HQ? Yes – staff have come and gone since 1993 but I would like to think that we still maintain our focus on caring for the patients and looking after our staff - even through these hard times.

Has there been a comedy moment in Board? Many, but one which sticks in mind was an occasion when one of the Board members nodded off and was sitting directly opposite the reporter.  Fortunately it didn’t appear in the local press.

Plans for the future/what will you miss? I will miss the people.  I would like to thank all colleagues, both past and present for their help, support and kindness during my 40 years in the Trust – without this I don’t think I would have lasted 40 years!  I have many things I want to do but not sure which ones I will achieve.  Cleaning and decorating certainly won’t be on the top of my list!

*the other being Linda Cordingley

**The Board meeting was also the opportunity to say farewell to Juliette Cosgrove who is leaving us to become Chief Nurse at Southport and Ormskirk NHS Foundation Trust.

Owen said of her:  "Working at CHFT has not just been a job but has also been personal for Juliette as her family has a real connection to this Trust. One of the things we have really benefitted from is the way in which she has supportively challenged people to provide compassionate care to our local communities. Her style is to have the difficult conversations in the right way and always with patients at the centre. She will be truly missed."

Juliette joined us more than four years ago  as Assistant Director for Quality and Safety and  had a brief period as Assistant Divisional Nurse for the Medicine Division. She left Leeds to come to here as the job was an interesting one with lots of potential. She grew up in Huddersfield and reckons our Trust is "one of the friendliest places I have worked in."

She said: "The people who I have worked with have been really important to me, we had a big job to do and the people that I work with are talented, committed and always put the patient first. I am very proud of writing the plan  for the Care of the Acutely Ill Patient and working with many teams to deliver  significant improvement in the care of our patients.