Birthday bop for Wellingborough community hospital healthcare workers on NHS frontline

Staff at a Wellingborough community hospital have celebrated a colleague's birthday not by going out but by staying in and getting on down.

Instead of the traditional night out with friends, physiotherapist Ruth Wareing took part in a morale-boosting dance routine with Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) colleagues at Isebrook Hospital.

After their weekly meeting, staff took part in the classic dance floor filler Cha-Cha Slide by Mr C The Slide Man.

Birthday girl Ruth Wareing said: "An occupational therapist friend said that they wanted to do something nice for me on my birthday and make it special.

"It was such a nice thing to do and set a positive tone for the day.

"She asked me to choose a song so I chose the Macarena, but we decided it might be too tricky so I chose the Cha-Cha Slide instead."

The morning team meeting ended with the 15-person-strong dance which included members of the hard-pressed medical doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, domestic cleaning staff and therapy assistants.

Ruth, 28, said: "It's really hard at the moment and we're trying to keep as positive as we can.

"The night of my birthday it was Clap for our Carers and I went for a walk with my fiance Nick. At eight o'clock we could hear cars beeping and people clapping.

"It really feels like everyone is behind the NHS and it's nice to have the recognition."

The team at Isebrook might carry on the weekly dance routines to lift their spirits.

Ruth said: "It's a birthday I'll definitely remember. All I wanted to do was to give my mum a hug, but to spend it with my work family was really, really lovely."

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