Haxby Group nurse to carry Queen’s Baton in Scarborough
12th July 2022 - 9:19 AM
Haxby Group nurse David Wilson will be helping to carry The Queen’s Baton as it makes its way through Scarborough as part of the official Queen’s Baton Relay for the Commonwealth Games 2022.
Nominated by his daughter, Claire, the 71-year-old nurse was selected after coming out of retirement to become a Covid vaccinator in Scarborough. David also took up the role of Vaccination Services Coordinator.
David will be carrying the baton from 4.20pm on 13 July at the Royal Albert Drive. And the following day he continues his work at the vaccination clinic at Haxby Group’s Lawrence House GP surgery.
David said: “This is a great honour for myself and my team. I’m going to be carrying the baton for all the vaccinators who have provided such a great service here in Scarborough.”
The Baton is making its epic journey across the Commonwealth, visiting all 72 nations and territories.
The Relay began on 7 October 2021, with Her Majesty The Queen placing her Message to the Commonwealth into the Baton. The Baton is now on its 294-day long journey to every corner of the Commonwealth as it aims to connect communities and embrace different cultures.
David, who recently celebrated 50-years of NHS service, has been a firm fixture in the local NHS for the past half century, having nursed at Scarborough and Bridlington hospitals as a ward manager and duty site coordinator.
A quiet retirement was never on the cards, with David returning to his nursing vocation to support the national COVID vaccination effort, saying at the time “I thought I’d come back to support my colleagues, it was a great opportunity to help!”.
David has worked as Vaccine Service Coordinator in Scarborough since the service was set up.
David said: “I’m honoured to have played my part in the vaccination effort alongside my dedicated and hard-working colleagues.”
Sally Brown, Clinical Managing Partner at Haxby Group Scarborough, who ran the Rugby Club vaccination clinic said: “We’re very fortunate as an NHS that we have such dedicated and committed teams. David having been in the NHS for more than 50 years proves that nursing really is a calling for life.”
