Thousands of staff at Watford General Hospital were treated to a late summer barbeque as a gesture of thanks for their ongoing dedication to patient care.
Volunteers from the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) charity prepared around 2,500 burgers for nurses, doctors, and support staff on Thursday.
Workers enjoyed a break with beef and vegetarian burgers, nachos, salad, and drinks. The event, funded by RRT, highlighted the progress made by teams across West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust in improving patient care.
This includes a significant improvement in Accident and Emergency waiting times over the past two years, with the Trust rising by nearly 100 places in national rankings. It is now one of the top 10 best-performing trusts in the country.
Kelly McGovern, chief nurse, expressed her gratitude, saying, “We’re so pleased to be able to thank staff for everything they do and to reflect on the progress we’ve made together. Working in a hospital is hugely rewarding but it’s also challenging, pressurised, and demand continues to increase for all our services.
“Our teams work hard, and with real passion and dedication – so to be able to recognise their efforts with an event like this is wonderful. I’d like to also thank the brilliant and very generous Rapid Relief team who organised this event for us. They are superstars.”
Harry Read, Local Team Leader for RRT, said the day was a success for his team. “It’s always special to see the smiles we put on people’s faces, and it was a pleasure to come to Watford today and thank NHS staff for all the brilliant work they do.
“The biggest barbeque I had organised before today was for around 500 people, so today was a bit more of a challenge and we had multiple barbeques all going at the same time, and a well-drilled production line. I’m glad it went so well.”
Established by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church in 2013, RRT provides catering and support to charities, government, and emergency services during times of need. RRT volunteers have supported a number of NHS Trusts, working with the principles of care and compassion.
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