Iolanthe Awards 2020 winners announced
on 16 November 2020
The Iolanthe Midwifery Trust has announced the winners of the Iolanthe Awards 2020.
The awards were delayed due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Chair of the Trustees at the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust, Dr Jacque Gerrard MBE, said: “After a very challenging year for midwives and student midwives in the UK, the Iolanthe Midwifery Trustees are at last delighted to announce the Iolanthe Award Winners of 2020.
“As Chair of Iolanthe, I want to express my apologies for the delay in the announcement, due to the impact that the global pandemic has had on our applicants’ lives and their proposed award projects.”
The Iolanthe Awards provide financial opportunities for midwives and student midwives to undertake critical research with the aim to improve maternity care and attend courses to support their continuous professional development.
Award winners
Dora Opoku Award for black, Asian and minority ethnic students – Gloria Owolabi-Agbongdon is studying at Edinburgh Napier University and travelled to Mexico to undertake her third-year elective placement. Radica Hardyal is studying at the University of Hertfordshire and has undertaken research into Midwives’ Role in Severe Maternal Morbidity: the views of women, birth partners and midwives.
2 student award winners – Louise Downie is studying at the University of West of Scotland and will be undertaking an RCM accredited course on perineal suturing for midwives. Stacey Malone from the University of Hertfordshire will be travelling with three other colleagues to attend an Appropriate Skills for Appropriate Places (ASAP) Workshop in Wales.
5 midwife award winners – Claire Cregg works at Blackburn Birth Centre and is putting her award towards a local training course for midwives in complimentary therapies. Elizabeth Murphy is a midwife at St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester and University of Manchester School of Health Sciences who will use the funding to organise local training on human rights in maternity care. Evony Lynch is a midwife at Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust and will use her award to arrange local training on optimising birth through midwifery skills. Jude Field is a midwife from the School of Health Sciences, Bangor University and is organising a study day on sexual violence and women’s health for midwives and allied health professionals. Mo Tabib works at Robert Gordon University and NHS Grampian and will use her award to fund research into the Influence of Antenatal Relaxation Classes (ARC) on Childbirth Experiences and Maternal Psychological Wellbeing: An Exploratory Mixed-Method Study.
The Elizabeth Duff Award for supporting the midwife-mother relationship – Nikola Duncan is a midwife at Whittington Health NHS Trust, London, who will use her award to create an aromatherapy, massage and hypnotherapy service for pregnant women.
The Iolanthe/RCM Jean Davies Award for addressing health inequalities -Tomasina Stacey works at Calderdale and Huddersfield Foundation Trust and will use her funding to improve communication of key health messages about diabetes in pregnancy to diverse communities using co-designed digital animation.
The Midwifery Research Fellowship for writing up a PhD – Cristina Fernandez Turienzo works at Kings College London and will use her awarded funding on the implementation and evaluation of a midwifery continuity of care model for women at an increased risk of preterm birth in South London.
More information about the Iolanthe Midwifery Trust’s awards and grants can be found here.