Lianne Powers, ward sister at Rochdale Infirmary, spoke at a prize giving ceremony for an NHS artwork competition at St. Gabriel's R.C Primary School in Castleton recently.
Kids up and down the country created a ‘thank you’ to NHS staff, while learning about the different careers in the NHS during class.
Rochdale student Lesley Kaengele, aged 10, won the top prize for the North West region.
Her entry was a rainbow poster with four staff members showing the diversity and range of NHS staff with a ‘thank you’ message to the NHS.
Lianne said: “It was a privilege to visit such a lovely school and to speak with all the children. The artwork was outstanding and really showed the diversity of the NHS. Hopefully my words have helped inspire a new generation of healthcare workers who we will see caring for our community in the future.”
Lesley said: “I learnt that the NHS is a lot bigger than it seems; it's not just doctors and nurses but computer scientists, cleaners, and they're all as important as each other. My mum inspired me because she's strong and puts her strengths into helping other people which inspires me to be just like her. To me, the NHS means a huge diverse army that helps everyone from all backgrounds without judgement.”
Dr Navina Evans, chief executive, Health Education England, said: "The entries for the Step into The NHS 2022 contest have been creative, entertaining and inspirational. I am thrilled to congratulate our Northwest regional winner Lesley on her rainbow poster – Keep up the great work Lesley.”
Developed in partnership with teachers, Step into the NHS includes a careers quiz, real-life stories from NHS staff, work experience tips and learning resources to help young people explore the hundreds of roles within the NHS: https://www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk/