Family from Louth work for NHS since its formation

The Drewery family: Gary, Sam, Maureen, Iain and Kirsty, alongside Maureens late father Alf have all worked in the NHS for a combined time of 70 years.

Maureen Drewery, (74), said she has seen a lot of changes in the NHS through the years, both as an employee and a patient.

She worked at Louth Hospital when there used to be a laundry house, alongside her cousin Ann Hodson, back in the 1960s when she was only her in teens and also worked on the wards, helping out as a volunteer for the Red Cross.

Maureen said: “It was her late father, Alf and his brother Sam who started off working for the health service, even before it become the NHS in the early 1940s.

“The pair started working in the hospital’s boiler house after the war.”

Maureen worked for the NHS for almost 20 years and added that Louth Hospital has always been amazing.

She said: “I have seen a big change in the wards, but I used to love working there. The matrons at the time were very strict and all of the sheets on the beds had to be just so, or else you would end up being told off, but the wards were always spotless and clean.”

Little did Maureen know that both of her sons, Gary and Iain, his wife Kirsty and her grandson Sam would all end up working for the NHS as well, which now includes four generations of the same family all working for the NHS throughout its 70 years.

Maureen’s eldest son Gary has worked as a hospital porter for the last 14 years, Iain has 29 years under his belt and is the head catering manager.

His wife Kirsty is a pharmacy technician and has been there for 18 and half years and finally young Sam, who is 26, has been a chef at the hospital for the last 8 years.

Maureen added: “I am so proud so many members of the family work for the NHS, and I know my father would have been so pleased as well.

She added: “Sam really struggled with his education at school, but since working at the hospital has really come into his own.”