Earlier this year, the QNIS Annual Gathering and retired Queen’s Nurse holiday was held at Fisher’s Hotel in Pitlochry. Here our Stay in Touch Coordinators, Alison Jarvis and Carol Crowther, share their reflections of a joyous event:
A change is as good as a holiday, the saying goes, and there is no doubt that, whether people came for the gathering or chose to stay for a few days holiday, the move to Fisher’s Hotel in Pitlochry from Crieff Hydro has been a success. The feedback has been very positive and encouraging. Someone commented that they had not laughed so much for a long while and many have already said that they will be happy to return.
This change of venue was a big step for QNIS to take as, for many years, visiting Crieff has been a highlight, with familiar sights, sounds and staff. The need for change has been discussed before, so we will not revisit this again, but we are delighted that this year’s event saw an increase in the number of rQNs attending, with positive feedback and all reporting that it was a happy and joyful event.
Alison and Carol really appreciated the excellent support of some of the volunteer visitors who helped facilitate this change so positively. Along with the new venue, people also had the option to stay a variable number of nights. Some chose to arrive the day before and the introduction of an informal ceilidh on the night of the gathering will have made memories!
Those who arrived the day before the gathering were able to relax and enjoy an evening’s catch up, getting up on the morning of the gathering to a relaxed breakfast before heading out for a leisurely browse of the shops on the doorstep of the hotel. The food on the day of the gathering and throughout the holiday was much to everyone’s liking, albeit where the menu said fish and chips, ‘whale and chips’ would have been a more accurate description, given the portion size! Nevertheless, most of those attending the gathering and holiday have commented favourably about their dining room experiences. The evening’s entertainment also proved popular, and was great fun, and we feel sure that this will become a regular feature.
Angela MacDonald one of the Volunteer Visitors from the Highlands, and also the wonderful hostess at Pitlochry, said the whole event was not just good, “it was perfect”, and reported that some of the ladies who also stayed on for the holiday after the gathering were still positively talking about the event a few weeks later.
Like most events there were a few small hiccups and things that could have been done differently, however all the hotel staff were helpful and friendly and made us feel very welcome. There is nothing from the feedback from those who attended that will discourage us from beginning the negotiations for next year’s event in Pitlochry.
Information about the Annual Gathering and Holiday 2025 will be sent out to Retired Queen’s Nurses in our pre-Christmas communication. If you have any questions or suggestions in advance, then please do contact Carol or Alison.
