One of the country’s longest serving nurses says farewell

June Sykes will leave Station Lane Medical Centre in Featherstone, later this month.

The 74-year-old from Purston, Pontefract, first began training for her career in nursing at the age of 17.

More than a half a century later, she has helped hundreds of patients and is one of the longest serving nurses in the country.

Mrs Sykes joined Station Lane in 1974.

Dr Shutkever, who was a senior GP at the practice with June from 1989 until June this year, said: “She’s fantastic with patients and has moved with the times.

“That’s the most remarkable thing that she has been able to keep up with changing nursing practices and roles all this time.

“She has a great sense of humour and staff and patients love to have a laugh and joke with her.

“We are sorry to lose her but all good things sadly come to an end.”

Mrs Sykes, who described nurses as “jacks of all trades”, said: “I shall miss it, I have absolutely loved my time as a nurse.

“I have never wanted to do anything else even from being a little girl.

“I have loved being in this surgery and have got to know all the patients.

“There were some who came to me for their injections as babies, who are now bringing their own babies.

“I will miss everybody, staff and patients.”

Mrs Sykes said she was looking forward to spending more time with her family including her four grandchildren, but added she’d miss “one of the best things about coming to work” - keeping her mind active.

Mrs Sykes grew up in Purston, Pontefract, the daughter of a Frickley Colliery miner and a housewife.

She started training as a nurse at Pontefract hospital aged 17 and became a registered nurse in 1962. She joined Station Lane Medical Centre, at Featherstone, 41 years ago.

Mrs Sykes is one of the longest practicing nurses in the country, having been in the profession for more than fifty years.

Her husband Leonard started Sykes Purston joinery business, now run by their two sons Richard, 51 and David, 52.

She said: “I feel proud that I have been in nursing for such a long time and hopefully I have helped a lot of people along the way. It’s an achievement working so many years in the same profession.”

Mrs Sykes retires later this month.