This is Teresa Trinder's brief story in her own words, along with her collection of photos.
"I feel like I worked my way up through the ranks! I started at Fairfield in my early 20s in 1984 as a domestic in the evening, then during the day. It was my introduction to people with mental heath problems and was an eye opener!!!
"At this time The social club was the 'in' place to be, and where all the staff met to unwind. Some unwound more than others!!!
Anyway I then decided to give the assistant bar steward job a go, which I did for four years and really enjoyed. However when the decision to close Fairfield came, the social club was the first casualty and it closed in about 1992 I think.
"Well I really needed a job and at the time the only thing going was in the hospital laundry. That was the worst job I've had in my life!!! Purely by chance, a charge nurse from one of the wards wandered through the laundry one day and I jokingly said, 'Giz a job.' Well before I knew it I was working as a nursing assistant in the rehabilitation ward. To my amazement I loved it and I felt that I had found something that I was good at. I loved the whole atmosphere and really enjoyed working with people and making a difference. I stayed there until the hospital finally closed and then I moved out to one of the purpose built units in Hitchin, with the patients.
"Then when the Government made money available for nursing assistants to be seconded to do their training at university, I jumped at the chance and started in 2001. I’ve since been a qualified staff nurse working in a long term mental health rehab unit in Hitchin."





