SCORES of newly-qualified nurses and midwives celebrated their achievements at a special graduation ceremony at Basingstoke hospital last week.

Around 40 new nurses and midwives who trained at Basingstoke, Andover and Winchester hospitals came together last Thursday for a special ceremony at the Ark Conference Centre, in Basingstoke, to mark the completion of their degrees.

In total, 96 nurses, midwives and people returning to practice completed their courses, with 64 of those choosing to remain at the hospital trust.

During the ceremony, the students, who all studied at universities in Southampton, Surrey, Bournemouth as well as the Open University, all received a Hampshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (HHFT) badge which they will wear on their uniforms for the rest of their careers to show where they trained.

Basingstoke Gazette:

Scores of proud friends and families and governors at the trust watched students also pick up a certificate and the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, Councillor Anne Court, was a VIP guest.

HHFT’s chief nurse Donna Green congratulated those graduating, saying: “I am delighted many of you have chosen to work with us and I am biased but you have chosen a great place to work. I hope wherever you work and do, you will have a long and rewarding career and I am very envious of you starting your career again.

“This night brings back fond memories of my badge ceremony and journey in nursing and where it has taken me so you are going to have a great time.”

Along with individual presentations, a number of special awards were also announced on the night.

The Taverner Award for the student nurse of the year was awarded to Ellie Johnson, who trained at Basingstoke hospital, for her “calm and collected” attitude when training as a nurse in the emergency department.

Ellie, who is 21 and lives in Chineham, told The Gazette: “It was a complete surprise and I had no idea. It is a huge compliment and it is such a good team to work with and it shows that if you pull your weight everyone has your back.”

It was also a double celebration for one family with Rosie Cooper, 21, celebrating her graduation on the same night that her older sister, Sarah Jennings, scooped the mentor of the year award.

Basingstoke Gazette:

Mother-of-two Sarah, who is 34 and works in the women's health unit at Basingstoke hospital, said: "It is lovely. I really was not expecting it at all."