The Institute received notification recently of the death of Vice President Christine Barker, aged 78.
Christine joined the Institute in 1957 and spent the first half of her professional career in the Public Health Laboratory Service, working in laboratories in Birmingham, Derby and Nottingham. In 1977 she returned to the NHS, taking up the post of laboratory manager at Derbyshire Royal Infirmary, from which she retired in 1993.
Christine attained Institute Fellowship in 1966 and six years later was elected a national member of Council, serving in that role for almost a quarter of a century. She was Chair of the Regulations/Membership Committee for over 10 years, an Executive Committee member between 1983 and 1995, a member of the Publicity and Services Committee from 1972 to 1981 and its Chair from 1977 to 1981, a member of the Regulations Committee from 1972 and Chair from 1982, a member of the Fellowship Committee from 1987, and a member of the Education Committee from the mid-eighties to 1996. Christine was secretary of the Institute’s Derby and Nottingham branch between 1970 and 1977, and subsequently Chair of the branch.
Christine was a member of the East Midlands Further Education Council Advisory Panel for Sciences and Mathematics from 1974 and its Chair between 1978 and 1981, a member of the Trent Polytechnic Science Advisory Committee between 1978 and 1983, and a member of the Sheffield Polytechnic Advisory Committee on Medical Laboratory Subjects from 1983. Christine’s long service and commitment to the profession was recognised by the award of Life Membership in 1995 at the Institute’s 54th Annual General Meeting, hosted by the Derby and Nottingham branch, and subsequently, in 1998, was made a Vice President.