Who remembers the 1980 launch of this Sunderland training school?

It was back in June 1980 that the area nursing school was launched beside the district hospital in what was a converted cottage home.

It cost £100,000 to set up with a further £12,000 spent on furnishings and teaching equipment.

The new venture was launched to provide theoretical and practical teaching accommodation for student and pupil nurses.

There was a large lecture theatre, three classrooms, and three discussion rooms.

The facilities also included to learner common rooms and a staff common room.

There was a library, reference library, two small practical demonstration areas as well as office room for teachers and clerical staff.

A changing area and toilets completed the new facility.

Miss AM Tinkler, who was the area nursing officer for the Sunderland Health Authority, was the person who opened the school.

A Sunderland Echo article at the time said it was needed because training accommodation had been lost at the former Orthopaedic and Accident Hospital.

“Use of the new building will result in the transfer of temporary teaching accommodation from the Nurses Home, the District Hospital and the Royal Infirmary,” said the article.

But opthalmic nurse training continued to be based at the Eye Infirmary.

Who remembers the launch of the new facility and were you one of those people who learned there? Get in touch and tell us more.

Who were the people you remember training with and when did you spend time there? Or perhaps you are one of the people pictured and remember the occasion.

Get in touch by emailing [email protected]. Let’s share the memories.