CLARIDGE Nursing Homes marked International Nurses Day with a vintage themed open day at Hampton Grange Nursing Home.

May 12, is International Nurses Day – chosen to coincide with the anniversary of Florence Nightingale's birth. Around the world people use this day to pay tribute and say "thank you" to hard working nurses everywhere and the vital work they do.

The event at Hampton Grange saw Richard Claridge, Meg Fallon and other senior managers donning vintage nursing outfits, rolling up their sleeves and demonstrating their practical nursing skills. All come from a fully qualified nursing background, with over 100 years of collective nursing experience between them. They were advocating a "back to basics" approach in a fun themed day with a serious message behind it.

Richard Claridge, who qualified as a nurse in 1982, said "Not only is this a great opportunity to thank our hardworking nursing staff for all that they do, but it also serves as a great reminder that sometimes it can be the smallest things that make the difference, things that can get forgotten in the modern, technological world we live in today. Things like making time for a smile and an unhurried conversation."

Meg Fallon, area manager, spent the day dressed as Florence Nightingale. She said "It's been such a pleasure to be involved today and take the opportunity to thank our hard working nurses. Our nursing homes would not function without them and, of course, our lovely carers too – we can't forget them." She went on, "I qualified as a nurse in 1981 and things have moved on quite a bit since then - but the basics don't change."