Action, accolades, and a rod of iron: Brackley care home resident recounts lifelong nursing career
To mark World First Aid Day on September 12th, Brackley Care Home honoured its resident retired nurses, highlighting a lifetime dedicated to caring for others. Among them is 93-year-old Anne Sequeira, who looked back on a rich and dynamic career that began in Oxfordshire nearly eight decades ago.
Anne’s nursing journey started at just 16 years old as a pre-nursing student at the Horton Hospital in Banbury. By age 21, she fully qualified as a nurse—earning the prestigious Silver Medal upon graduation and missing the Gold Medal by a single point to fellow student Ted Dolman.
While her training took her through outpatients and the eye department, it was emergency care that captured her heart.
“My favourite place to work was the casualty department,” Anne recalled. “Because I loved the action.”
Her passion and work ethic saw her rise to the rank of Sister at the Horton. Known for her warmth and ability to connect with both patients and colleagues, Anne admitted with a quizzical smile that she still maintained high standards on her ward. Asked if she ruled with a "rod of iron," she laughed, “Yes, I think I did, because I liked things done properly.”
Off duty, Anne shared a house on Hightown Road in Banbury with fellow nurses, frequently traveling abroad with her close friend and colleague, Gloria. “We worked hard, but we also enjoyed our time off,” she said.
Though she left the hospital upon marrying at age 26, her commitment to the field never wavered. Anne later returned to the profession as an industrial nurse at Atomic Energy in Abingdon, providing workplace care in a unique and fast-paced environment.
Brackley Care Home extended its deepest gratitude to Anne and all its retired healthcare residents for their incredible service, discipline, and lifelong dedication to helping others.