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First class
nurse heads for the seas
Friends and colleagues join David Johnson (centre)
in the garden at the Elton John Centre to celebrate his retirement.
D AVID JOHNSON, who
retired from the Elton John Centre last month, was not content with simply being
a first class nurse.
In his efforts to secure
something extra for his patients, David was also a fundraiser whose exploits
earned local and even national recognition.
For it’s not everyone who
can get personalities like the late Princess Diana and the then prime minister
Margaret Thatcher involved in a fundraising appeal.
His nursing career began in
Staffordshire in 1962. This was interrupted for a short time while he undertook
a social work course. But this was not really what interested him and he
returned to nursing.
He came to Brighton in 1973 as
nursing officer for the old Bevendean Hospital. During the past thirty years he’s
worked in several different areas – nights at Brighton General on the medical
and surgical wards, long term elderly care on Brighton General’s L and J
Blocks. Then, after 4 years in Tunbridge Wells, at Hove General Hospital and
finally at Elton John.
His first major fund raising
effort in 1979 was as chairman of the appeal committee for a minibus for the
psychogeriatric unit. David organised a wine and cheese party in Brighton’s
Royal Pavilion. The highlight was the attendance of actress Dame Thora Robson.
The following year he
accompanied the late Dr Tony Whitehead on the first of the two-day hover mower
push from London to Brighton. This unusual effort also aimed to raise funds for
the minibus appeal.
This caused a great deal of
publicity and raised a few eyebrows in London but only one verbal comment. This
was from a passer by who thought they were cleaning the streets with a suction
machine and not making a very good job of it.
The machine was blowing out
more dust than it was sucking in, they were told.
But it was David’s cookbook,
Culinary Arts, published in 1983 in aid of Brighton General’s long-stay
geriatric unit that really hit the headlines.
David said recently that its
success was largely due to the Bulletin. Looking back we can see why.
It began with a small ad
asking what the Princess of Wales had in common with Dr Whitehead and the then
Kemp Town MP Andrew Bowden.
The following month a little
more information was released, with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and several
showbiz personalities being added to the list.
The following month the Bulletin
released the full story: David had written to 150 celebrities asking for their
favourite recipes for a cookery book to raise funds for long stay patients.
Everyone named, Princess
Diana, Mrs Thatcher, then Labour and Liberal leaders Michael Foot and David
Steel, actors, actresses and local celebrities had responded.
The Argus ran the story. Woman’s
Own and
then the BBC picked it up.
David’s retirement was
marked by a party at the Sussex Arts Club and a tea party for friends, patients
and colleagues in the garden at the Elton John Centre.
By now he should be setting
out on a Mediterranean cruise with his partner.
We wish him a well-earned bon voyage.
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The Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton