Colleagues packed the HRI Learning Centre to say a very fond farewell to Estates boss Lesley Hill who has retired after 13 years at CHFT. Gifts included a specially-crafted embossed frame presented by Paul Gilling, flowers, theatre tickets, walking gear and wine. CHFT's Non-executive director Alistair Graham  hailed her "long and glittering career"  and her legacy of of top teamworking and bringing estates to a postion of strength for the future. 

Lesley said she would miss the people (not the work) and said she might return for a fix as she couldn't imagine life without them. 

 Here she hails her colleagues and her love for working in the NHS.

• How does your background (in pharmacy) end up in NHS estates. Whitecoat to white paint ? I think recognising I preferred managing the pharmacy to dispensing. Going to business school helped.  How I ended up in Estates is still a mystery to me.  But it's been great, the staff are amazing, and do a fantastic job.

• And why?  I’ve loved working in the NHS.  I am passionate about making things better for patients - which, one way or another, I’ve been able to do for my entire career.

• 13 years at CHFT, what has been the best/proudest moment? Many! Winning HSJ Acute Trust of the Year, the Acre Mills development, and best of all - all the people I’ve met and worked with.

• Worst moment?  I think the power failure at HRI was a shock -  but it's sorted out now with plenty of backup generators….

• Funniest? Seeing David Birkenhead in a Rudolf onesie and some of the strange things people do.

• Do you regret letting Jammal loose with a HRI paint chart :) ?  I do - but it gives me an opportunity to tease him - and he did produce the standard paint template we now have.  To be fair, he is one of the hardest working people we have, and one of the best known, and he’s just got his Masters degree - so well done Jammal.

• Will Estates be planting a floral display in your image? Hopefully not - let's stick with the beautiful ones we currently have.

• Plans for the future? Travel, walking, seeing more of my family and friends, learning Spanish, and golf lessons….. for now

Lesley's gifts included the frame which had images of Everest, builders and cleaners embossed into it - a tradition for estates retirees supported by our signage partner Fred Shaw. She also received theatre vouchers, bouquets of flowers, wine, walking towel and walking socks, gardening gloves and handcream! Driver Barry Ackroyd gave her a box of golf balls!