Adult nursing students marked the 20th anniversary of Oxford Brookes University in Swindon.

Last week saw the students start their work experience placements in hospitals and healthcare settings across the region.

To mark the occasion, those who study at Oxford Brookes’ Swindon campus took part in the annual cohort photograph.

This has been taken every year since nursing education began in the town.

Mature student Vanessa Drake said: “I am really excited about experiencing nursing beyond the GP surgery setting, interacting with patients again, learning new skills, embedding those we have learnt in class and developing my nursing career.

Vanessa, who lives in Pewsey, will started her placement at Great Western Hospital.

“I’m quite nervous too, though,” she said. “Which I know is normal as most of us suffer from ‘fear of the unknown’ but I am sure those nerves will settle quickly as I’ll be too busy to think about it.”

Vanessa previously worked as a healthcare assistant at a local GP surgery, having initially been employed there as a medical secretary since 2005.

Student Matthew Gibbons, from Frome in Somerset, will begin his placement at Trowbridge Community Hospital with the community nursing team.

He said: “When I received my placement uniform it made me feel professional and warm inside, as well as excited and nervous. I kept thinking this is now getting very real.

“I will be working with a team I have never worked with before. It will be nerve-wracking but also very rewarding. I’m looking forward to meeting new people from various backgrounds and getting to know people not only on a general basis, but as an individual and delivering person-centred care. I believe this is one of the most important things to remember about nursing.”

Rachel Skittrall, programme lead for Adult Nursing Swindon at Oxford Brookes University, said: “We are proud to be celebrating 20 years of Oxford Brookes University in Swindon this year.

“Over the last two decades, many hundreds of students have graduated from the Swindon campus, and have gone on to work in a wide range of healthcare settings in the surrounding communities."