MOST people look forward to retirement.

But not community children's physiotherapist Gill Tomlinson. On Thursday, September 23 she retires after 30 years service at Stroud General Hospital.

It is the last thing she wants after a career, which has given her total satisfaction. "It's very sad because I don't want to retire," she told the SNJ. "I still feel I've got a lot to give."

"There has been the enormous satisfaction of seeing children improve and the satisfaction of helping them with their physical disabilities and helping their parents cope with their problems.

"I've enjoyed everything, the variety, the satisfaction of seeing children get through the day without any problems.

"It's been a totally satisfying career, very challenging but enjoyable. Gill, 65, decided to become a paediatric physiotherapist because she "enjoyed helping people".

She trained at Witthington in Manchester before beginning work in 1960 at the renowned Sheffield children's hospital.

In the intervening four-and-a-half decades she has lived and worked all over the country. After blazing a pioneering trail as the first paediatric physiotherapist for East Berkshire, she moved with husband Peter, a retired engineering firm managing director, to Gloucestershire 32 years ago.

They live at Dean's Quarry, Burleigh and have a son, three daughters, a grandson and granddaughter.

Gill founded the Minchinhampton Nursery Group 37 years ago. It thrives to this day with 26 children and four staff. She says the two jobs "complement each other".

One of 15 community paediatric physiotherapists throughout Gloucestershire, Gill has worked with children suffering from a range of disabilities such as orthopaedic and chest conditions, multi-handicaps, brain damage, cancer and learning difficulties.

"We help them get better or make the most other lives," she said. "They come with quite complex difficulties. We maybe don't put them right but we help them improve their lives." Over the years she has met and helped thousands of people. They will be sorry to see her go.

"The patients are quite distraught that I'm not going to be there," she said. "And I find it very hard to leave." A farewell party will be held at Stroud Hospital on Wednesday, September 29.