The Florence Nightingale Foundation (FNF) was invited to attend the Who Cares Wins awards ceremony hosted by The Sun and Channel 4 on 14th September 2021. The Who Cares Wins awards applaud, thank and celebrate NHS staff and other healthcare workers over the last year.
Representing the Foundation was our Chair Dame Yvonne Moores DBE, CEO Professor Greta Westwood CBE, Director of Academy Dr Gemma Stacey and Deputy-Director of Academy Lucy Brown.
It was a star-studded event attended by Prince William, David Beckham, Rod Stewart, Davina McCall, Gary Lineker, Frank Lampard, Kate Garraway, Mark Cavendish and many more VIPs. Prime Minster Boris Johnson, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid were also in attendance to show their support.
The Foundation was delighted to attend and support the three FNF Alumni who were finalists at the awards:
- Ross Anderson – Best Nurse
- Laura Hutton – Best Midwife
- Nicola Johnson – Best Midwife
Ross Anderson
Ross is a 2018 FNF Windrush Scholar and deputy charge nurse at Guy and St Thomas’ sexual health clinic. He was redeployed to the front line of the pandemic in March 2020 and has since gone on to work in and lead five busy vaccination centres.
On being nominated, Ross said that:
“When you go into nursing you don’t think you’re going to get nominated for an award. It is a great honour but that’s not what you go into the profession for! When I go home, I don’t think I have done anything extraordinary. I just do my job”.
“It was still such a huge honour to be nominated for the Best Nurse award. I am full of gratitude for the work of my fellow nurse colleagues who also worked tirelessly in the pandemic. It was so lovely to see all the celebrities in attendance for these fantastic awards as it just shows how much they value our healthcare workers. I was full of pride on the night, and it is something I will never forget”.
Ross also said that being able to participate in the Florence Nightingale Foundation Windrush Leadership Programme meant “a great deal to me personally as it is also a part of my heritage”. Ross’ grandmother came to Britain from Jamaica as part of the Windrush generation and worked as a nursing assistant.
The winner of the category went to Jackie Brunton, Bereavement Nurse Specialist who during the first wave of the pandemic developed ways she could help relatives keep in touch virtually with their families in hospital.
Lauren Hutton
Lauren is a 2018 Scholar and Bereavement Midwife at Imperial College Hospital. She was nominated as Best Midwife by her patient Carly Hogson who she helped care for after the stillbirth of Carly’s daughter Poppy. Lauren offered support over the phone in the months after Poppy’s death.
Lauren told us:
“I am overjoyed to say I made the final three for the Best Midwife award. Unfortunately, I didn’t win but it was an incredible experience and an amazing evening and event to be a part of. I was lucky enough to meet David Beckham, Rod Stewart and Davina McCall. A once in a lifetime experience! I am very grateful for all the support the FNF has given me over the last couple of years and in their support for my nomination.”
Nicola Johnson
FNF Alumni Nicola is a Specialist Infectious Diseases Midwife at Barts Health NHS Trust who has pioneered a new project to offer pregnant women living with HIV free milk vouchers for their children. There is a risk of women with HIV passing the condition onto children through breastfeeding which is why it is important to give the option to use formula milk to feed their baby without extra costs.
Nicola said that:
“I was honoured to be nominated. It’s nice that someone appreciates and recognises what you do, especially on a larger scale. It was a truly delightful evening and an absolute honour to experience with so many wonderful and deserving nominees!”
Winner of the Best Midwife category went to Angela Chamberlain who helped safely deliver a premature baby on a flight.
Whilst our Alumni may not have won on the night, they are all winners in the eyes of FNF! We were incredibly privileged to join and celebrate with them all. It is an honour to be able to continue to watch them grow and develop and accomplish life-changing achievements.