‘Pukka’ Driver Brian retires at 77

Date of release: 30 August 2024

A ‘Pukka’ Driver who is one of the oldest healthcare workers at New Cross Hospital retired today at the age of 77 – and he had a send-off from Wolves royalty.

Back, from left: Elizabeth Darley, Brandon Bramford, Alan Saunders, Lee Price and Hannah Mitchell. Front, from left: Balvant Patel, Jack Duck, Brian Davis, Ryan Darby and Andy Bellingham

Brian Davis is handing in his van keys after ferrying patients, their case notes and now their post for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust for almost 22 years, and he received a video message from Wolves legend, vice-president and former club record goalscorer John Richards.

Wolves-mad Brian, who has been a Molineux steward since 1988, previously worked for tyre factory Goodyear in Bushbury for 34 years.

Richards, who is also chair of the Former Wolves Players Association, was a long-term team-mate of Brian’s all-time favourite player, captain Mike Bailey, who couldn’t attend the event, and succeeded him as club skipper in 1976.

Father of three and grandfather of two from Wednesfield Brian is light-heartedly nicknamed ‘Pukka’ by his fellow Drivers and Porters after being photographed at a Wolves away game next to a sign advertising Pukka Pies.

Brian, who retires on August 30, 2024, started as a Porter at RWT initially via an agency in October 2002 before becoming a permanent member of staff in June 2003.

Initially he worked the corridors at New Cross Hospital before becoming the third member of a team of three transporting notes around the site in a Luton van.

Brian performed this role until the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020. As he was considered vulnerable, he was switched to a less public-facing role to despatch patients’ letters to their homes.

He had been doing that until a fall at work last September and left him hospitalised for seven weeks.

Brian Davis (left) and John Richards

“Overall I have really enjoyed it because of the camaraderie with the patients and the staff,” said Brian, who is one of more than 50 drivers at RWT.

“I’m sure I miss everyone and they will no doubt miss calling me ‘Pukka’, which is what a lot of the Porters call me!”

Andy Bellingham, Facilities and Transport Manager, said: “Brian is a pleasure to work with. He’s very helpful and willing and will go above and beyond, working late and arriving early for work.

“He’s always jolly and never miserable or moans. He’s great to work with.”

Brian intends to return on the temporary staffing bank in the same role and continue as a stewarding manager for Wolves.

During his time at Goodyear, Brian worked as an extruder runner, which involved setting up the machine to put the tread on the tyres, while leading a team of 14 and also serving as a shop steward.

As one of numerous former Goodyear workers who became Porters at RWT, Brian is immensely proud of the legacy his fellow employees left.

Members of the 5/344 Transport and General Workers Benevolent Fund – the ex-Goodyear workers sick pay fund – donated more than £3.4m to local causes after the Wolverhampton plant closed in December 2016. Some £500,000 went to projects at RWT before the final donation recently.

“We always said we wanted to create a legacy and I’m very proud that we have,” added Brian.

Healthcare runs in Brian’s family as wife Marie is a Clinical Support Worker at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, on Ward 4 at the Manor Hospital. Formerly at New Cross Hospital, she has worked for the NHS since 1977. Daughter Lisa Johnson, 54, is a Sister for RWT in the community.

ENDS

• For further information, please call Tim Nash on 07714 741097 or email tim.nash2@nhs.net