How BCoT Helped Rachel Find Two Loves: Nursing and a 25-Year Marriage

When Rachel Le Marechal walked into the classroom for her human physiology and health GCSE course at Basingstoke College of Technology in 1994, she thought she was just supplementing her studies to become a nurse.

Little did she know that three decades later, she would be celebrating her silver wedding anniversary with the boy she sat next to that day – Andrew Stoodley – but also cherishing a long career within the NHS.

Rachel took the course alongside a BTEC National Diploma in Science: Healthcare to follow her dreams of being a nurse, like her mum.

“I had tried a couple of other courses, but they weren’t for me,” Rachel said. “But I thought the GCSE would be really helpful for the BTEC. There weren’t any spare seats, except for the one next to Andrew, so I asked if I could sit down. He said yes, and that was it.

“I loved my time at college. It was great to be training with other people who wanted to go into the healthcare profession. BCoT was such a happy place to be. There was always lots of fun and laughter in the classrooms and the refectory, but I imagine it’s not called that anymore.”

As Rachel celebrates her 25th wedding anniversary, BCoT is celebrating its 75-year history by launching a campaign to reconnect with former students. In partnership with the Basingstoke Gazette, the campaign aims to build a vibrant alumni community that not only celebrates the college's impact on the careers and lives of people across Basingstoke and Hampshire but also allows former students to inspire the next generation through work experience placements, apprenticeships, mentoring and speaking at student events.

BCoT is calling on former full-time and part-time students to get back in touch and share their stories and Rachel is hoping people take up the call.

She said: “College is such an important time in a young person’s life, and alumni have the chance to inspire students and help them on their way.”

Upon finishing her course in 1996, Rachel went on to further nurse training, qualifying in 1999. She worked at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth, Salisbury District Hospital and Southampton General Hospital. In 2003, she switched to midwifery and worked on the labour wards in Portsmouth, then Salisbury District Hospital before joining Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust in 2008, moving back to the area in 2009. In 2020, Rachel moved to a training and development position and discovered a new passion for helping and supporting her colleagues in their roles.

She credits her time at BCoT for giving her the skills and solid foundations to build a fulfilling career.

“College was a great place to be,” she recalls. “It was so vibrant and inclusive, at a time when inclusivity wasn’t a priority for organisations, but it was great to be in a melting pot of cultures and ethnicities, which was great preparation for the NHS where our workforce and the people we treat are from all walks of life. I had the opportunity to go on several placements – I worked in a GP surgery and the orthodontic department at the hospital in Basingstoke and both gave me such a great insight into how the healthcare system works.”